It's easier to sell and develop gene-edited seeds in Canada now — here's why some organic farmers are worried

New regulations allowing for more freedom in the development and sale of gene-edited seed varieties are sparking dissent among some organic farmers.

Allison Squires operates a small farm grain farm in Saskatchewan, with crops including wheat, lentils and flax. She’s long been proud to offer organic options to consumers, but says this change in regulations threatens her industry.

“I won’t necessarily have the assurance that I used to have that the seed that I’m buying is free from GE (gene-editing) contamination and therefore safe for organic production,” she told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday.

On May 3, the government announced changes to the guidance for seed development and plant breeding, relaxing guidelines regarding gene-edited seeds