The UK government has announced plans to advance precision breeding technology under new laws, aiming to boost food production, cut farmers’ costs and promote the development of drought and disease-resistant crops.

Defra farming minister Daniel Zeichner has confirmed the Labour government will pass secondary legislation required to unlock the benefits of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act as soon as parliamentary time allows.

See also: English farmers plan to be first to grow gene-edited crops

The Act was introduced under the previous Conservative government and passed into law in England in March 2023 after it received royal assent.

The legal change applies in England only and devolved governments have yet to follow suit.

Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London on Monday 30 September, Mr Zeichner said: “This government recognises that food security is national security. 

“That is why today we are introducing legislation to unlock precision breeding to boost Britain’s food security, support nature’s recovery and protect farmers from climate shocks.   

“With these measures, our agriculture sector will be at the forefront of innovation across the world.” 

Defra says precision breeding techniques, including gene editing, will allow for the creation of crops that are more resilient to pests, diseases, and environmental changes.

It says this approach will significantly reduce the need for pesticides, benefiting pollinators and contribute to nature conservation.

Trials have already begun on crops like vitamin D-enhanced tomatoes and pesticide-reliant sugar beet alternatives.

The new law will simplify the process for introducing precision-bred products, making it easier and more affordable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to compete, which is currently dominated by larger multinational companies.

The NFU has voiced its support for gene-edited crops, telling a previous consultation on the issue that the new laws can be “a critical part of meeting climate change targets, addressing health and nutrition challenges, increasing environmental protection, improving resource-use efficiency and building food security.”

Opposition

But opponents of gene editing have criticised the move.

Pat Thomas, director of Beyond GM, said it was not clear whether the Labour government plans to adopt the legislation created by the previous Conservative administration without changes, or address the issues which Mr Zeichner himself raised during the bill’s passage through parliament.

Ms Thomas claimed the minister “knows fully well” that there are no gene-edited crops ready to plant or sell that are “proven to be more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change and more beneficial to the environment”.

She added: “Beyond all the bluster, however, it seems clear that the government is in no hurry to enact legislation which it knows to be both inadequate and unpopular.”