Month: November 2024

Categories
PROBITY

Farmers invited to join #PROBITYPledge campaign 

Will you take the #PROBITYPledge?

A campaign launched today invites farmers and others from across the industry to engage in a nationwide discussion on precision bred crops and their potential impact on UK agriculture.

As the Government moves forward with legislation to support precision breeding, the #PROBITYPledge campaign will provide farmers with accurate information and a platform to voice their opinions. 

Precision-bred crops can be created through gene editing, a widely used technology that enables scientists to make changes to plant DNA, like those that occur naturally, but introduced in a precise, targeted manner. Gene editing speeds up the process of breeding more productive, nutritional and sustainable crop varieties.

The campaign is being coordinated by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) which leads the PROBITY project. The three-year multi-partner project, launched in August this year, is bringing precision-bred cereal varieties onto commercial farms for the first time across Europe. An integral part of the project is the creation of an open and transparent forum to discuss the creation, production, processing and use of precision-bred crops. 

Learning opportunity

The #PROBITYPledge campaign asks farmers to pledge a minimum of one hour in the next six months, to learn about precision breeding and share views via The Sequence Circle online forum.   

Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN said: “This is a topic which will have an enormous impact on sustainable food and farming, so it’s important to make time to discuss it. 

“As farmers we are the gatekeepers of precision-breeding technology and must lead the discussion on how it is introduced to create a trusted pathway for food manufacturers to deliver its potential benefits to consumers.

“The PROBITY Pledge campaign asks farmers to commit at least one hour to equip themselves with knowledge of this technology and how it could impact them and their businesses. We want to hear diverse views – what do you think, what are your hopes and fears are for precision breeding, and what questions do you have about gene editing? 

“Our Sequence Circle community hosted on The Farming Forum includes some incredible scientists who are well placed to help answer those questions.”

Open to all

The campaign is not limited to farmers, he added. “Anyone with an interest in the future or food and farming is welcome to make the #PROBITYPledge, sign up and get involved with learning and discussing this technology.”

Gathering and analysing opinions is a key part of the PROBITY project and because contributions to The Sequence Circle hosted on The Farming Forum will be used (anonymously) by researchers, those signing up need to be over 18 years of age. 

For more information on the #PROBITYPledge campaign and to get involved click HERE

Categories
Citizen Scientists

Precision-bred crops

Rewriting Nature’s Code for Plants

Imagine you’re tending to your garden and notice a plant that’s struggling to thrive. What if you could rewrite its genetic instructions to make it stronger, more resilient, or even tastier?

That’s essentially what precision breeding for plants aims to do.

What are plant genes?

Just like humans, plants have genes that act as instruction manuals. These genes, made up of DNA, tell the plant how to grow, when to flower, how big its fruit should be, and even how to defend itself against pests. Every plant has its own unique set of genetic instructions.

So, what is precision breeding in plants?

Precision-bred crops can be created through gene editing.

Gene editing is a technique that allows scientists to make precise changes to a plant’s DNA.

It’s like having a pair of molecular secateurs that can snip out specific parts of the genetic code. The most well-known gene editing tool is called CRISPR, which has revolutionised plant breeding since its discovery.

It’s important to note here that gene editing is not the same as genetic modification as no foreign DNA is left in the plant. The changes made through gene editing are the same as those which could occur naturally.

How is gene editing useful in plants?

Gene editing in plants has several exciting applications:

  • Creating crops that are more resistant to diseases or pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
  • Developing plants that can better withstand drought or extreme temperatures, helping farmers adapt to climate change.
  • Enhancing the nutritional value of food crops.
  • Improving the taste or appearance of fruits and vegetables.

Is it controversial?

Like many new technologies, gene editing in plants has sparked debate. Some worry about potential unintended consequences on ecosystems or whether gene-edited plants should be labelled differently in shops. But as the changes made through gene editing are the same as those that occur naturally, there is no greater risk than plants developed through traditional breeding.

Introducing the PROBITY project

The BOFIN-led PROBITY project was launched in August 2024. It brings together experts from 12 organisations including plant scientists, social scientists, supply chain experts and food manufacturers as well as farmers. 

Seed from precision-bred cereal varieties developed in small quantities by scientists at John Innes Centre in Norwich and Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire will be multiplied up. This will then enable around 25 selected farmers to trial the crops on their own farms. 

Each of these varieties have potential benefits to sustainable food and farming:

  • A wheat with superior baking, toasting and processing properties
  • A barley that high lipid, high energy 
  • High performance wheat which promises a step change in productivity

Every step of the way the seed, crops and harvested wheat and barley will be tested and scrutinised by the farmers, scientists and food researchers. They want to find out how these traits perform and to fully understand the benefits and challenges. It will also include discussion with people from across the supply chain, including consumers, on their feelings and attitudes to producing, sourcing and ultimately eating food made from gene edited crops.

Interested? Find out more:

If you’re keen to explore this subject further take the #PROBITYPledge to receive further resources in your inbox. Then, get involved with online discussion around precision breeding at The Sequence Circle where you can share views and ask questions.

Click HERE to get involved.

Categories
SLIMERS

Controlling slugs with AI and automation

New technology experts join SLIMERS 

UK agri-tech specialists Farmscan Ag and Fotenix have become partners in a major project to develop autonomous monitoring and control of arable farming’s biggest pest. 

Strategies Leading to Improved Management and Enhanced Resilience Against Slugs (SLIMERS) is a three-year £2.6m Defra-funded research programme involving more than 100 UK farms and seven partner organisations. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), the project was launched in 2023 to understand slug behaviour and develop two commercial offerings.

These will help farmers by locate slugs in fields and provide precise and autonomous control with biocontrol agents containing nematodes. This will decrease reliance on chemical control of slugs, which are responsible for some £43m of damage to crops across the UK when adequate control is not in place.

Fotenix and Farmscan Ag are working directly with UK Agri-Tech Centre to develop the autonomous monitoring and control element of SLIMERS, led by project technical lead Dr Jenna Ross OBE, who developed it within the SlugBot project, previously funded by Innovate UK.

Dr Jenna Ross OBE
Callum Chalmers, Farmscan Ag
Charles Keys, Fotenix

Dr Ross said: “We are delighted to welcome Fotenix and Farmscan AG to the SLIMERS consortium. Their combined technologies, knowledge and experience will be fundamental in developing the autonomous slug monitoring and control system, thus bringing more sustainable, cost-effective slug control to the industry.”

Charles Veys, co-founder and director of Fotenix said: “SLIMERS is an ambitious project, but for me the most exciting element is deploying new and cutting-edge detection onto traditional farm equipment. It will be challenging but we are looking forward to bringing our expertise and working with Farmscan Ag and the wider team to make it happen.”

Callum Chalmers, director of Farmscan Ag added: “We’re really excited about bringing a targeted and precise approach to dealing with slugs that is also autonomous. It needs to be commercially viable and farmer ready which is easy to say, but harder to make it a reality. Working with BOFIN and its farmer members is going to be really important.”

Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN said: “Finding a smart way to control slugs is vital given the huge pressures farmers are under to produce food crops as sustainably as possible. It’s great to have Fotenix and Farmscan Ag on board as partners and we are excited to work with them to bring their innovations from the drawing board into farmers’ fields.”

The work will also help support research led by Prof Keith Walters at Harper Adams University, which has identified patterns of slug behaviour including their propensity to gather in patches, and the use of soil data to locate these patches.

For more information about SLIMERS click here

Categories
PROBITY

Workshop seeks opinions on precision-bred crops

Researchers are hosting a free workshop for anyone interested in gene editing across food and farming.

The workshop is at the NAEC, Stoneleigh on day one of CropTec (11.30am to 1.30pm on November 27th). It is the first of such workshops to be held as part of the PROBITY project. 

PROBITY – A Platform to Rate Organisms Bred for Improved Traits and Yield – is a three-year £2.2m farmer-led project with 11 research and industry partners. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) it is funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme which is delivered by Innovate UK. 

Precision-bred crops are created through gene editing – a widely used technology that allows scientists to make precise changes to specific genes in plants, that could have occurred naturally. 

As well as trialling precision-bred crops on farms for the first time, the project is also exploring opinions on their adoption – particularly from farmers but also within the wider industry and amongst consumers.  

Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN Tom Allen-Stevens said: “Scientists believe that precision-bred crops can bring gains for productivity and sustainability, but we need to know how farmers and others in the industry feel about their introduction. 

“This first workshop will explore the current perceptions and stumbling blocks. Our Sequence Circle online community will then host further discussions and resources going forward.” 

The workshop is part of a two-day programme organised by BOFIN to run alongside CropTec at NAEC, Stoneleigh. As well as the workshop day one will also include a session at 10am to introduce the project and officially launch The Sequence Circle.

On day two (November 28th) BOFIN is hosting sessions to share results and insight from their NCS and TRUTH projects. Visitors are invited to sign up to hear what the project’s farmers have learned from their trials exploring the potential of pulses and soil and root health. 

For more information and to register for a free place visit www.bofin.org.uk/events

Categories
NCS

From Soya to Sustainability

Conference tackles food production’s ‘dependen-soy’

A new event is setting out to drive the transition to a more sustainable, resilient and secure food system in the UK through reduced dependency on imported soya. 

‘From Soya to Sustainability’ will be held on January 22, 2025 at KingsGate Conference Centre, Peterborough. It will bring together farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to explore innovative strategies for integrating beans and other pulses into livestock diets, reducing the need for imported soya.

Headline speaker Philip Lymbery will emphasise the urgent need for change in our food systems. Philip is Global Chief Executive of Compassion in World Farming and author of Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future with other roles including visiting Professor at the University of Winchester.

Photo credit: CIWF Richard Dunwoody

He was appointed UN ambassadorial ‘Champion’ for the 2021 Food Systems Summit in New York and co-lead of its Sustainable Livestock Solutions Cluster.

Other speakers will include experts leading the charge for reduced use of soya in the UK who will share the latest research and innovations in the production and use of peas and beans.

There will also be ample networking opportunities enabling delegates to connect with like-minded experts from across the supply chain.

Roger Vickers of PGRO and lead of the NCS Project which is coordinating the event said: “This event is a call to action for all in the agri-food supply chain to play their part in the move from soya to sustainability, which is urgently needed if we are to reduce our environmental impact.

“Growing more pulse crops in the UK and using them in livestock feed would help tackle our dependency on imported soya while also promoting agricultural practices that benefit farmers and the environment. There are multiple wins, but it is not an easy fix.

“We need urgent and concerted action across the supply chain if we are to make a difference. I encourage anyone working in the agri-food supply chain to attend and be part of a movement for change.”

To find out more and secure tickets, click HERE