Module 1: The Precision Breeding Act
In March 2023, in a landmark decision, both Houses of Parliament voted for a change in law to remove many gene edited organisms from genetic modification (GM) regulations, with the new Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 receiving Royal Assent.
Video Briefing session: The Precision Breeding Act
For the purposes of the Act, an organism (plant or animal) is “precision bred” if —
- any feature of its genome (genetic code) results from the application of modern biotechnology,
- every feature of its genome that results from the application of modern biotechnology is stable (i.e. capable of being propagated whenever the organism is reproduced),
- every feature of its genome that results from the application of modern biotechnology could have resulted from traditional processes, whether or not in conjunction with selection techniques, alone, and
- its genome does not contain any feature that results from the application of any artificial modification technique other than modern biotechnology.
The Act has the powers to establish:
- a simplified regulatory system for marketing precision bred plants and animals in England,
- a new science-based authorisation process for food and feed products developed through precision breeding, and
- a proportionate regulatory system for precision bred animals to ensure that animal welfare is safeguarded.
These changes will bring England more into line with the regulatory approaches taken by most countries outside the EU, including Canada, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, Japan and Australia.
Implementation of the Act will facilitate greater research and innovation in precision breeding, allowing gene edited products to be brought safely to market with consumer confidence. This has the potential to create a market advantage for innovators in the UK and offers UK researchers the opportunity to become world leaders in developing the crops of the future.
Where we are with the secondary legislation (correct as of 05/12/2024)
Officials from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have already drafted the Statutory Instruments required to implement the Act, which were notified to the World Trade Organisation in April 2024, ready for Parliamentary approval. This secondary legislation is expected to be presented to Parliament for debate and voting in early 2025.
A major element of the secondary legislation is the regulation of how Precision Bred Organisms (PBOs) will be placed on the market as foods and feeds in England. This work is being led by the FSA which has developed a premarket authorisation framework to ensure that PBOs for foods/feeds are appropriately assessed for safety, while maintaining a proportionate system.
The FSA is also creating a public register that will provide details of PBOs authorised for use in food/feed.
All precision bred food and feed will be traceable under existing law (under the scope of General Food Law). The FSA will ensure that food and feed using authorised PBOs can be traced and followed through all stages of production, processing and distribution.
Go to Module 2: What is gene editing and how does it differ from other crop breeding techniques?