Today marks a historic milestone for England's agricultural future with the commencement of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
- The Precision Breeding Act comes into force, marking an important milestone in the UK taking advantage of its regulatory autonomy, with England becoming the first country in Europe to harness the benefits of precision breeding.
- Legislation will help British farmers and boost our food security, enabling crops to be better adapted to the impacts of the UK’s changing climate and strengthen resistance to diseases.
- Sector warns of the importance of not undermining this progress in upcoming negotiations around the UK-EU reset, with risks around potential disruption to research in the UK and disincentivising investment in innovative technology.
UK’s leadership in agricultural innovation
Today marks a historic milestone for England's agricultural future with the commencement of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. The new regulatory framework comes into force after the secondary legislation passed earlier this year, and following a six-month World Trade Organisation (WTO) implementation period. The Agricultural Biotechnology Council (abc, part of CropLife UK) has worked constructively with successive Governments throughout the passage of the Act and is pleased to welcome the new framework, and to continue working with the Government to support its implementation.
The regulations establish a modern, science-based framework for the development, release, and marketing of precision bred plants, aligning with global advances in agricultural innovation and driving investment into the sector. The Act reinforces the UK’s ambition to be at the forefront of agricultural innovation; supporting our world leading research base in agricultural life sciences and translating research into a commercial setting.
Supporting farmers
This legislation is designed to support farmers directly by providing tools that accelerate the development of crops with beneficial traits using gene-editing techniques. These new crops will be better adapted to the impacts of the UK’s changing climate and will strengthen resistance to pests, diseases, and weeds, ultimately enhancing food security and achieving greater agricultural sustainability.
The abc Chair Jon Williams (also Head of Public and Governmental Affairs for BASF Agriculture) said: “By embracing these gene editing technologies, we’re equipping our scientists and farmers with the tools they need to strengthen food security and respond to climate challenges.”
A bold move made possible by regulatory autonomy
The passage and implementation of the Precision Breeding Act is a prime example of the UK taking advantage of its regulatory autonomy to make science-led decisions in the best interests of the nation. England will be the first country in Europe to harness the benefits of precision breeding, establishing a first-mover advantage in this critical area of agricultural life sciences. By aligning with other global agri-innovation leaders such as Canada, Australia and Japan, England has shown that it is committed to supporting the life sciences and agri-tech sectors, driving new investment, sustainable food production, and encouraging innovation.
SPS casts doubt on the future of precision breeding
However, abc has cautioned that England may be at risk of losing some of the benefits of the new legislation as a result of the UK-EU reset. Plans for the UK to pursue ‘dynamic alignment’ with the EU on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures – essentially following EU rules on food safety, animal health and plant health when trading across borders – could see the UK sacrifice some of its regulatory autonomy in the agri-tech sector.
While it is understood that the UK Government is exploring an exemption for precision breeding under a future SPS agreement, negotiations are likely to cause significant disruption to research in the UK, while disincentivising investment into the innovative technology. Jon Williams stated: “This is a pivotal moment for England’s agri-tech sector, and we hope this legislation will position England as a global leader in agricultural innovation. However we must not let the UK-EU deal become a barrier to implementation, or threaten the UK’s pro-innovation and pro-science approach to regulation.”
