Biotechnology usually describes the process of genetic engineering, where a gene from one species is inserted into another species. Agriculturally important genes have been inserted into crop species using this method – in soybean, the most noteworthy genes have provided herbicide resistance. However, high costs associated with deregulating genetically engineered products have limited their use to a few select traits. Recently, new methods have been developed that allow for the modification of specific genes without the permanent introduction of DNA from other species. These methods, known collectively as “genome engineering”, allow for specific mutations or changes in DNA sequence to...