The UK government is preparing to introduce secondary legislation to activate the Precision Breeding Act, which will support the use of gene editing in agriculture.
The legislation is expected to be laid before Parliament soon, following the announcement by Food Security and Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit. The Act, which became law in March 2023, aims to boost the resilience of UK crops against pests, diseases, and climate change, while enhancing food security and reducing pesticide usage.
Precision breeding techniques, such as gene editing, are designed to expedite the development of crops that would otherwise take decades to achieve through conventional methods.
Already, research trials are underway, including efforts to produce tomatoes with increased vitamin D and pesticide-resistant sugar beet, which could reduce the environmental impact of farming.
However, the Soil Association and other critics have voiced concerns, particularly regarding the potential risks to the organic sector. They argue that clear labelling of precision-bred organisms (PBOs) is essential to maintain consumer trust and to protect the organic food market, which is valued at over £3.2 billion.
The Association also stresses the importance of ensuring the UK’s organic sector can continue trading with regions that have strict regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), including PBOs.
This move by the UK follows a growing international trend toward more relaxed regulations for gene editing, with countries like Japan, Australia, and the USA treating precision-bred products similarly to conventionally bred ones.
If the legislation passes, it could make the UK a global leader in agricultural innovation, providing benefits not just for large corporations but also for smaller businesses and farmers.
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