Research using crops that have been genetically modified in ways that could be achieved using traditional breeding methods will now be easier to carry out in England, following the UK Government’s approval of changes to legislation in this area.
Crops altered through procedures such as gene editing will now no longer require an application to the Secretary of State in order for research to begin. Scientists will only have to provide information about the crops that will be planted in advance.
However, the change only applies to England, with Scotland and Wales having opted against a similar change at this time.
Brexit bonus for biotechnology?
Removing what is seen as a legislative burden on research in this area is seen as a benefit of Brexit, with the government noting the possible ecological advantages of gene-edited crops.
European regulations require any organism created using biotechnology to be registered as a genetically modified organism (GMO). However, the UK Government’s position differs. It suggests that genetic changes that can also be produced using traditional breeding methods do not carry the same risks as GMOs in the traditional sense, which use inserted genetic material from other species.
Differing opinions
The majority of public sector bodies and academic institutions supported the change, as part of the government’s consultation ahead of it being presented to Parliament. However, businesses and individuals tended to be against the move.
“[The change] marks a small but important step towards aligning our regulations with other parts of the world – such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Brazil and the US – where simple gene edited plants are not regulated as GMOs,” said Professor Mario Caccamo, chief executive of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB).
“Adopting a more science-based and proportionate regulatory approach will help unlock the UK’s global leadership in plant genetics, fostering a research environment that encourages innovation in agriculture to address the most pressing challenges of today – helping farmers grow crops that are more nutritious, more resilient to climate change and less reliant on pesticides or fertilisers.”
Further change coming
While the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) broadly welcomed the advantages of speeding up research and development for genomic technologies in crops, they sounded a note of concern about the possible impact on trade of having different standards to key trading partners.
“It is vital that the UK is still able to trade with the EU and that the internal UK market remains functional should England take a different approach to regulating new precision breeding techniques,” said Tom Bradshaw, NFU vice president.
“Government must analyse the implications and discuss the issues in detail with its counterparts in other countries as well as with all parts of the UK supply chain, as a matter of urgency.”
The move is part of broader changes proposed to UK legislation around genetics and food, with the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill due to be introduced to Parliament later this year.
