UK Government confirms timeline for precision breeding legislation
The UK government has announced that it will introduce legislation for new precision breeding regulations to Parliament by the end of March 2025. This legislation aims to implement precision breeding techniques for plants, with separate provisions for farmed animals to follow under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
This confirmation, made by Steve Reed, Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), comes after a cross-party group of members of Parliament (MPs) expressed the need for a clearer timeline regarding the rollout of post-Brexit regulations on gene editing. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture (APPGSTA) sent a letter signed by over 65 MPs, scientists, and investors, emphasizing the importance of moving forward with these regulations, particularly in light of potential delays related to ongoing EU-UK alignment discussions.
George Freeman MP, chair of APPGSTA, emphasized the act's potential to strengthen food security by enabling the commercialization of precision-bred products and facilitating market adaptation to international regulations. He urged the government also to speed up rules for farmed animals, highlighting the importance of gene editing research to tackle livestock diseases like bird flu and African swine fever.
In related developments, a project is underway trialing precision-bred cereal crops on commercial farms in England, marking a significant step in agricultural research. Seeds harvested from experimental plots at the John Innes Centre in Norwich are set to be multiplied in 2025, allowing farmers to conduct trials in the subsequent year. The project aims to transition these new varieties from laboratory settings to farmers' fields, allowing for comprehensive evaluation of their potential, identification of adoption challenges, and paving the way for future innovations.
As these developments unfold, they may have broader implications for food safety experts across Europe. The advancements in precision breeding technologies could contribute to improving food security and sustainability, aligning with global efforts to enhance agricultural practices. The industry is poised to observe how these regulatory changes will impact the market and food safety standards in the future.
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