North Norfolk MP Steff Aquarone highlighted the potential for gene-edited crops to revolutionise farming in a speech to the House of Commons last week.
Speaking in the Inheritance Tax debate on Monday 10th February Mr Aquarone emphasised the importance of local farmers as custodians of the environment and key contributors to the rural economy.
North Norfolk MP Steff Aquarone
The MP pointed out that North Norfolk’s proximity to the Norwich Research Park makes it an ideal testing ground for advancements in gene editing of crops. He said: “Family farms in Norfolk are the perfect test bed for the latest in gene editing of crops, which can bring about higher yields, smaller carbon footprints and less need for pesticides.”
Mr Aquarone’s speech comes as the UK government progresses secondary legislation to support precision breeding techniques. The PROBITY project, launched in 2024, aims to bring precision-bred cereal varieties onto commercial farms in England for the first time in Europe.
Farmers and other agricultural professionals are encouraged to join the #PROBITYPledge campaign to engage in discussions about precision-bred crops. To take part and learn more visit www.bofin.org.uk/probitypledge
When Arla announced towards the end of November it was to trial Bovaer, a feed additive used to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows, it prompted a maelstrom of concern from consumers and some farmers. This was reportedly fuelled by misleading information designed to debunk the technology.
The question is why? And following on from that, was it a step backwards for advances in farming or were there lessons learned?
An important question – not just for partners in The PROBITY Project but the wider industry too – is whether there will be a similar backlash when precision-bred crops are introduced into commercial field trials for the first time here in England later this year.
BBC Verify has looked into the media storm that followed the announcement of the trial. It has also received coverage in The Guardian, among others.
It will be a matter of personal choice for dairy farmers as to whether they use it. For some, adding a small amount of 3-Nitrooxypropanol to the feed intake of their herd is no different to an arable farmer who applies a small amount of isoflucypram (as in Iblon) to their wheat crop. It’s a simple solution to quite a major problem with clear benefits.
For others this is meddling with nature. It’s a cheat, which introduces an imbalance that is not sustainable. There are other ways for dairy farmers to reduce emissions, as there are other ways to reduce disease pressure on wheat crops.
What lies at the heart of this is the gut microbiome. Like the soil microbiome it is incredibly complex. Science is only just beginning to understand them.
For farmers, we know the two are inextricably linked. Both the soil and gut microbiomes have a massive influence on the performance of farming systems. Use the soil microbiome effectively to grow nutrient-dense food and this will engender a healthy gut microbiome, both for the livestock in our care and for those we feed.
But we actually know precious little about how to do this, nor how to use potentially powerful technologies in our quest to do it better.
Take gene-editing for example.
Bold claims are made by scientists about how plant signalling pathways can be influenced and the extraordinary abilities to interact with the soil microbiome this then confers.
So how should farmers respond? We can choose to take the scientists at their word. They are the experts. We can rely on them to develop commercial products with industry partners. We don’t need to know how they work, just how they add to our profitability.
Or we are better off without this technology. We can work with scientists to gain knowledge about these complex natural systems without creating an imbalance and skewing our view of what’s truly sustainable.
Or we can work with scientists as they introduce these new traits. We can use the technology to understand this complex science better. We can co-develop the products and tailor them to how we’d like them to work in the field.
It’s an important choice. Because until farmers truly understand the living organisms in our care, and that’s all of them – animals, plants, microbes – we will continue to be misunderstood by consumers and misrepresented by our politicians.
And it’s the backlash that we witnessed with Bovaer, and a rational perspective on how a new technology is perceived was lost in a noisy, thrashing sea of misinformation.
There is more information on the Sequence Circle about gene-editing and precision-bred crops. How do we do better with gene-editing and precision-bred crops this than we did with Bovaer?
Join the discussion on The Sequence Circle.
Tom Allen-Stevens is founder of the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), which leads PROBITY, a £2.2M Defra-funded project bringing precision-bred crops to commercial farms in England for the first time in Europe
Government’s commitment to deliver the secondary legislation required for farmers in England to grow precision-bred crops by the end of March has been welcomed by partners in a major project.
Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed said: “Precision breeding offers huge potential to transform the plant breeding sector in England, enabling innovative products to be commercialised in years, instead of taking decades.”
The legislation would ‘unlock’ precision breeding technology to allow farmers in England to grow crops that are “more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change, and that benefit the environment,” he said.
The Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Act was passed in 2023, and the secondary legislation will mean that crops developed using precision breeding techniques such as gene editing will be able to enter the food chain.
Partners in the PROBITY project – which is bringing gene-edited cereal varieties into trials on commercial farms – welcomed the announcement. PROBITY (A Platform to Rate Organisms Bred for Improved Trait and Yield) is a three-year, £2.2m farmer-led project, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme Small R&D Partnership Round 3.
Prof Nigel Halford, Rothamsted Research and PROBITY project Technical Lead
The project’s Technical Lead Professor Nigel Halford of Rothamsted Research said: “It is great news that the government is moving forward with this.
“Many parts of the world are way ahead of us on precision breeding, and we need to catch up.”
Tom Allen-Stevens is an Oxfordshire farmer and founder of The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) which leads the PROBITY project.
He explained: “While countries in Asia and the Americas are way ahead of the UK on this, The Genetic Technologies Act created some competitive advantage – for farmers in England at least – within Europe. However, without the necessary secondary legislation it would be meaningless as farmers wouldn’t know if they would be able to sell crops created through precision breeding.
“Our concern now is that the legislation comes into effect in time, to enable us to progress our trials, planned to start this autumn. These trials are essential if farmers are to assess whether this technology will deliver the benefits expected.”
MP campaign
The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) has written to MPs to stress the importance of the secondary legislation to the advancement of precision breeding and invite them to learn more about precision breeding by taking part in its PROBITY Pledge campaign
“We want an informed discussion so that everyone in the industry understands precision breeding and has the opportunity to shape how it comes into UK fields,” the letter says. “Our PROBITY Pledge campaign invites anyone with an interest in agriculture to spend a minimum of one hour learning about precision breeding and what it could mean for sustainable food production and to share their views with our online community The Sequence Circle.”
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
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.
Innovative and influential arable farmers are invited to apply to join a small team of ‘PROBITY Pathfinders’ to help steer the direction of a project exploring precision-bred crops.
The PROBITY project is a three-year £2.2m multi-partner project, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, which is delivered by Innovate UK. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) it will see precision-bred crops grown by farmers for the first time in Europe. Three precision-bred cereal varieties will be trialled and scrutinised by farmers, scientists and food manufacturers in an open and transparent forum.
A major part of the project is exploring farmers’ perceptions on precision bred crops and their feelings about growing them, explained Tom Allen-Stevens, founder of BOFIN.
“Scientists believe that precision-bred crops have something to offer sustainable food production, but as yet they have never been trialled in a commercial setting,” he said.
“Farmers won’t invest time and resources to grow something they don’t have confidence in, so it’s important that we discuss all aspects openly. As part of that we need the first recruits of this project – the PROBITY Pathfinders – to encourage and generate discussion.
Tom Allen-Stevens, Founder of BOFIN
“Our Pathfinders will be arable farmers with a passion for innovation and science. They must be open-minded, but we don’t mind if they lean in favour or against the technology, although they should be in favour of on-farm trials of precision-bred crops.”
The Pathfinders will be expected to initiate and take part in online discussions and speak about the project at events and farmer gatherings. They should have effective credible networks and existing platforms with which they engage with other farmers, either on social media or through organisations they are involved with. In return PROBITY Pathfinders will receive a payment plus out-of-pocket expenses.
To apply for this important role please clickHEREand complete the form before 5pm on Friday 15th November 2024.
Zeichner commits to advance gene editing legislation, but gives no update on ADOPT
Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner has announced he will be advancing precision breeding legislation in England ‘as soon as parliamentary time allows’.
Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit (WATIS) in London on September 30, Mr Zeichner said that precision breeding technologies like gene editing could ‘transform the sector’ by making development of new varieties quicker, more efficient and precise.
But there was no news on ADOPT, a £40 million fund to support farmer-led R&D announced by his predecessor Mark Spencer at WATIS last year.
Mr Zeichner said that precision breeding “has the potential to be a key technology for growth, food security and sustainability.”
The limited opportunities to exploit these technologies commercially had prevented the industry from reaping the benefits, he added. “Globally, agriculture related gene editing startups have already raised over $2.7 billion since 2012.”
Of this, approximately 80% of capital investment had gone to US-based companies, compared to only 5% in Europe, he added.
“Now we’ve placed scientists and breeders in England at the forefront. This must be taken advantage of to foster innovation resilience in agriculture. That’s why it is critical to drive forward that legislation.
“Using technologies like precision breeding will enable development of crops that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change, and more beneficial to the environment.”
This could lead to significant reduction in use of pesticides and a positive impact on pollinators, as well as increasing food production and reducing costs for farmers, he said.
The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) is leading PROBITY, a multi-partner project which is trialling precision-bred crops on commercial farms for the first time in Europe. BOFIN founder and project lead Tom Allen-Stevens welcomed the announcement and urged the minister to act swiftly.
He said: “When the Genetic Technology Act was passed last year, England became the only country in Europe where precision-bred crops can be grown on commercial farms. However, the secondary legislation which covers aspects such as food labelling has been left by the wayside meaning that we are currently in limbo.
“I welcome Mr Zeichner’s commitment to bringing this legislation forward, and hope he will do so with a matter of urgency.”
But he expressed concern over the delay on the roll-out of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and particularly ADOPT.
“Defra has now released details of how the fund will work. It looks really good and could significantly bolster on-farm productivity.
“It’s deeply concerning that the new government has not given the go-ahead for this valuable R&D funding. It would be all too easy to drop it altogether, blaming the previous government’s overspend.
“But to do so would be to cut off your nose to spite your face – it is the one area of agricultural funding that could stimulate the productivity growth we so desperately need for farming.”
Gene-edited cereals a step closer for English farms
Monday 19th August 2024
A project bringing trials of precision-bred cereal crops onto commercial farms for the first time in Europe is now underway.
Trial plots of a precision-bred wheat variety, which could lead to a ‘greener’ farming system have now been harvested, marking the start of a groundbreaking new project.
PROBITY – A Platform to Rate Organisms Bred for Improved Traits and Yield – brings farmers, scientists and food manufacturers together to trial the production and processing of precision-bred crops to accelerate understanding of their value to sustainable food and farming. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), it isa three-year £2.2m multi-partner project, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, which is delivered by Innovate UK.
Farmers are encouraged to get involved with the project by joining the Sequence Circle at probityproject.co.uk a new community set up to lead discussion on precision-bred crops and help steer the project.
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 Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 allowed for the release and marketing of certain gene-edited plants. This currently makes England the only country in Europe where this novel material can be grown in farmers’ fields.
The seed harvested from plots at the John Innes Centre near Norwich will be multiplied up during 2025, to enable farmers in England to grow trials of the crop the following year.
Two further cereal varieties are being grown in glasshouses at Rothamsted Research, and once harvested this autumn, will also be multiplied up to be trialled on farms.
The three varieties will be grown on commercial farms and subjected to testing and scrutiny by farmers, scientists and food manufacturers to establish their potential.
The three cereal varieties in the project are:
A wheat with superior baking, toasting and processing properties
A barley making high lipid, high energy forage aimed at lowering livestock methane emissions
A wheat with a bigger bolder grain size promising a step change in productivity
Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN said: “This is an incredibly important project for farming and food production in this country.
“We need to produce more, nutritious food with fewer resources and with less impact on the environment. Scientists have been developing new crop varieties that could help us rise to that challenge. This project will bring those varieties from the laboratory to farmers’ fields where we can fully assess their potential, explore barriers to their adoption and pave the way for future innovation.”
Professor Nigel Halford, technical lead of PROBITY and scientist at Rothamsted Research who developed the healthier wheat line said: “It’s tremendously important that we grow these varieties on farms so that farmers and food manufacturers can see the benefits and want to use them, and that consumers can be reassured that they’re no different in practical terms from other varieties of wheat.”
The high lipid barley variety was developed by Professor Peter Eastmond at Rothamsted Research. He said: “This project is hugely significant as it’s the first time in my career that it’s been possible to grow these varieties on real farms. The work leading to this point has all been funded by the taxpayer so it is extremely important to take it to the next stage and see if this trait could stand up from a commercial point of view.”
Professor Cristobal Uauy, scientist at John Innes Centre who developed the bigger bolder wheat variety said: “This project provides a unique opportunity to work with farmers and test precision-bred crops directly in their fields. We are extremely excited as this brings us one step closer to delivering wheat varieties with traits which will help us towards regenerative agriculture, a greener farming system and enhanced nutrition and quality.”
For more information on the project visit probityproject.co.uk
