GE American Chestnut

White Paper, News and Resources to Take Action

White paper details issues & concerns of the GE American Chestnut

Download the major white paper Biotechnology For Forest Health? The Test Case of the Genetically Engineered American Chestnut.

You can also read the Executive Summary

In addition to The Campaign to STOP GE Trees, Biofuelwatch and Global Justice Ecology Project, the network of groups collaborating to prevent the regulatory approval of GE trees in North America includes Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, Rural Coalition and Shawnee Forest Defense.

For more information or to help stop the release of GE trees into the environment, please contact theresa2@globaljusticeecology.org.

Sign up to get more information and help take action

Results from USDA latest public comment period

In November 2022 the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published their draft Environmental Impact Statement and draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment recommending approval of the petition to allow the unrestricted and unmonitored release of the first-ever GMO plant (a GE American chestnut) into the wild with the intent to spread and contaminate wild relatives.

In response, thousands of individuals and organizations commented to APHIS rejecting this draft approval, and over 150,000 others registered their opposition through sign on letters and petitions. See some of these organizations and read their comments on this page.

An additional 400 organizations have endorsed the Stop GE Tree Campaign’s call for a global ban on the release of genetically engineered trees into the environment.

Click Here to See the Organizations and Read their Comments

News & Analysis

Perilous Modification of the American Chestnut Tree: We cannot forget the lessons taken from Monsanto’s Bollgard failure

Mar 22, 2023

Background Information: The US government is considering whether to allow a genetically modified (GM) version of the American chestnut tree, called Darling 58, to be grown in the wild. The creators of Darling 58, citing conservation of the species, hope to win the...

The Wild American Chestnut Is On Its Way Back

Mar 21, 2023

The Wild American Chestnut Is On Its Way Back This article, written by Anne Petermann and Steve Taylor, originally appeared in the Spring 2023 edition of Heartwood community's biannual newsletter Heartbeat. By Anne Petermann and Steve Taylor MAINE – On his land in...

PRESS RELEASE: Results from USDA’s Latest Public Comment Period on the GE American Chestnut Tree

Mar 7, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/7/2023 The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published their draft Environmental Impact Statement and draft Plant Pest...