The NFU has welcomed the government’s pledge to implement the Precision Breeding Act so new genetic technologies on British farms can boost food security.
Making the announcement at the World Agri-Tech Innovation event, farming minister Daniel Zeichner said the legislation would be passed as soon as parliamentary time allowed.
The Bill was made into law under the previous Conservative government last year following a three-month public consultation in 2021.
Defra said using technologies like gene editing on plants, precision breeding would enable the development of crops that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change and more beneficial to the environment.
The NFU said it was 'delighted' to hear the plans, adding that the potential benefits of biotechnology in farming and food were 'significant'.
However, the union said companies needed the legal certainty of 'fit-for-purpose' legislation to invest in breeding solutions for British farming, environment and society.
NFU vice president, Rachel Hallos said: “We want to see companies developing products that address the specific challenges and opportunities in the UK, whether it’s improving resource efficiency, resilience to climate change or tastier, more nutritious foods.
“Precision breeding is not a silver bullet, but genetic improvement is a vital tool among many that can help achieve our net zero goals by enhancing crop and livestock productivity while supporting health, biodiversity and sustainable farming.”
Making the announcement, Mr Zeichner said the new Labour government recognised that "food security is national security".
“That is why 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.”
Precision bred products have already started to undergo research trials, including tomatoes with high levels of vitamin D and sugar beet that is less reliant on pesticides.
Defra said that while currently, only a few large, multinationals can afford to navigate the process required to bring a new production to market, the legislation will simply the process.
The department said that gene editing had the potential to combat pest and disease pressures, improve animal health and welfare and increase climate change resilience.
But opponents of gene editing have expressed concern with the move, with environmental charity the Soil Association saying it was 'disappointed' as there were 'risks' to organic trade.
Soil Association director of policy, Brendan Costelloe said: “It is vital to both consumer confidence and the organic sector that the right statutory instruments are now put in place ensure full transparency of PBOs [precision bred organisms].
"We are absolutely determined to work with Defra to deliver these reassurances."
