What Checks Should Farmers Conduct Before the End of the Sowing Season Due to the New GMO Law
From September 16, 2026, new rules regarding the circulation and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will come into effect in Ukraine. The law, implemented according to European Union standards, entails a significant increase in control and financial responsibility for agricultural producers. Fines for violations will reach up to 172,940 UAH, and there will also be provisions for the confiscation and disposal of products made in violation of the law at the violator’s expense.
This is reported by AgroReview
Features of the New GMO Legislation
From now on, the State Register of GMOs and plant varieties will be mandatory for everyone working in the agricultural sector. All seeds must be officially registered, and producers and importers must comply with the new control system for GMO circulation. Failure to comply with the legal requirements will result in fines of up to 20 minimum wages, currently amounting to 172,940 UAH, as well as mandatory confiscation and destruction of illegal products.
“Ukraine has already transitioned to the European model of regulation and is moving towards the status of a GMO-free country.”
This step is intended to enhance the competitiveness of Ukrainian products in the European market, but only if the requirements are strictly adhered to.
What is Allowed and Prohibited: Important Nuances for Agricultural Producers
The cultivation of genetically modified corn in Ukraine is strictly prohibited, although in EU countries, this crop is the only one allowed to be grown with a modified genome. Following Ukraine’s potential accession to the EU, legislative norms may be revised, but as of April 2026, the ban remains in effect. There is also a five-year moratorium on the cultivation of GM sugar beets and GM rapeseed.
An important nuance is the labeling threshold: if the GMO content in an ingredient exceeds 0.9%, the product must be labeled with the mark “Contains GMOs.” Producers should consider that even slight accidental cross-pollination with GM crops can lead to problems when submitting grain for processing or export.
Violating the requirements poses risks not only from the state. If it is discovered during the export of grain that the batch contains GMOs, the buyer may impose penalties and return the shipment. There have already been cases in Ukraine where train cars with grain were sent back from the border, causing delays on the railway. Checking seed material before sowing is significantly cheaper than dealing with the consequences after harvest.
Practical Tips for Farmers Before September 16, 2026:
- Check each batch of seeds for inclusion in the State Register of Plant Varieties via the State Consumer Service website.
- Confirm with the seed supplier the availability of a certificate of compliance and the absence of GMO labeling.
- If there are doubts about possible cross-pollination from neighboring fields, conduct a laboratory analysis of the grain before submission.
The status of “GMO-free” is becoming not only a legal requirement but also an additional advantage for producers: buyers in the EU are willing to pay more for clean products, and the new law officially solidifies this position.