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In a landmark moment the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed into law today (24 March 2023), after receiving Royal Assent from the King. Gene editing promises to accelerate the development of ‘precision bred’ crops. The Act will create a simpler regulatory and approval process for new varieties that would otherwise have taken years to create with traditional methods.
Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson said: “This is an important time for agricultural science. The ability to use gene editing to make precise, targeted changes to the genetic code of organisms, in a way that can mimic traditional breeding, enables development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, healthier to eat, and more resilient to drought and heat as climate changes.”
Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE, comments: “Advances in genetics in crops and livestock have underpinned agricultural improvement for thousands of years, and thanks to the new Bill, this process can now be more precise and efficient. This is an important statement about the UK as a ‘science super power’ and is a great demonstration of the robust and evidence-based decision-making that is so critical to our enabling regulatory environment.”
Market acceptance
The Act will enable the development and marketing of gene edited crops in England and follows similar legislation in countries such as Argentina, the US, Australia and Japan. However, wider market approval is required for crops grown with gene editing to be accepted in other countries and it looks as though Europe is also moving in this direction.
The European Commission is considering a new regulatory framework for crops obtained through gene-editing technologies, with a proposal expected in June 2023.
The passing of the Precision Breeding Act in England is an important step forward, with international biotech and agrichemical firms like Bayer and Corteva, as well as many smaller companies and research institutes, saying their scientists can tap into gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 to precisely engineer crops able to withstand even the harshest conditions.
Benefits for research
The John Innes Centre and Rothamsted Research are among the research organisations taking a lead in the development of New Genomic Technologies (NGT).
Professor Wendy Harwood, lead for the Crop Transformation team at the John Innes Centre, commented: “Precision breeding offers tools that can help address many of the current issues facing agriculture and the planet. At the John Innes Centre we use these genetic tools to understand, and help develop, useful traits for crops.”
Rothamsted Research recently announced results from the first European field trial of genome-edited wheat, which demonstrated a significant reduction of asparagine with no effects on yield or nitrogen content of the grain. An earlier study, involving genetic alteration of Black-grass to understand how herbicide resistance develops, was described as ‘game changing’ by the lead scientist, Dr Dana MacGregor.
Paul Temple, a third-generation beef and arable farmer and board member for the Global Farmer Network, visited the JIC in 2022 to better understand its research in this area: “I saw first-hand the exciting science taking place at the John Innes Centre and am delighted that the Bill will allow us to benefit from the opportunities presented by the UK’s world-leading science base – use of technologies such as precision breeding is vital for our long-term, sustainable food supply.”
What is Precision Breeding?
Precision breeding describes a range of breeding technologies, such as gene editing, that enable DNA to be edited much more efficiently and precisely than current breeding techniques.
What is Gene Editing?
Gene editing makes a specific edit to DNA in a targeted way, without adding new genetic sequences or genes.
With gene editing specific genes can be removed, switched off, or ‘edited’ with small, targeted changes at a known location in the genome. This allows the breeder to reach the same end point as traditional breeding more efficiently, potentially shortening the time it takes to bring new innovations to market.
See more information at bills.parliament.uk.
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