Originally Posted January 13, 2023
Friends of the Earth, U.S. submits the following attachment representing 21,159 Friends of the Earth supporters. Friends of the Earth supporters strongly urge the USDA to reject the unrestricted planting of genetically engineered (GE) American chestnut trees in wild forests. If approved, this GE American chestnut tree, known as Darling 58 or D58, would be the first-ever genetically engineered forest tree planted outside field tests in North America. It would also be the first ever genetically engineered plant released anywhere with the purpose of spreading freely through wild ecosystems. If approved, the GE American chestnut could: unleash an irreversible genetic engineering experiment in our forests, set a precedent globally for the release of other GE trees into wild forests, help drive the wild American chestnut into extinction by replacing it with the GE chestnut and ultimately threaten forests and biodiversity.
Please refer to the FOE US – Comment for further details.
Comment originally found here: https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2020-0030-15036