China Approves Gene-Edited Grain Crops in Food Security Push

China approved two gene-edited wheat and corn varieties as safe to use, boosting its drive to raise output and improve food security.

The government granted a biosafety certificate valid for five years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement late Wednesday. This is just one of several steps before the seeds can be planted. The gene-edited varieties China cleared aim to improve corn yields and make wheat more disease-resistant.