Farmers, scientists, and consumers advocate for gene-edited crops as a solution to global challenges, emphasizing the need for informed public dialogue and regulatory reform.
On May 13, 2024, the University of Milan announced a breakthrough in gene editing. The first-ever field trial for a gene-edited crop in Italy—risotto rice tweaked to resist the destructive rice blast fungus.
“Today is a revolutionary day for biotechnologists,” said lead researcher Vittoria Brambilla at the time.
A month later, however, the crop was destroyed in a single night. Not by fungus, but by unknown vandals.