Members of the public share views on genome editing in farmed animals, as new laws which could transform farming are debated in Parliament

Genome editing is the precise, targeted alteration of a DNA sequence in a living cell. In farmed animal breeding it could be used to produce animals with certain traits, for example, animals that are resistant to some viruses. Genome editing could mean that desired traits in farmed animals are achieved more quickly than through traditional breeding methods.

The new public dialogue was commissioned by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, with support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Sciencewise programme.

Participants in the dialogue discussed the potential benefits and concerns around the use of genome editing to address some major challenges within our food and farming system, such as animal diseases, environmental impacts and food security.

These considerations are especially relevant in relation to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill currently going through Parliament, which the Government says will ‘introduce simpler regulatory measures to enable these products to be authorised and brought to market more easily.’

The findings of the public dialogue offer an important contribution to the debate around precision breeding, broadening it out to questions of the aims, purpose and societal consequences of innovations that it will permit.

Overall, participants felt that the public could provide a valuable input into the policy process and that there should be an opportunity for wider public debate to help direct research and innovation in this area.

Participants also expressed a need for more clarity on the Government’s overarching plan for the future of food and farming in order to understand how genome editing would fit into it. They want to better understand the purposes for which precision breeding might be used, its impacts and wider consequences, as well as what the alternatives are, in order to assess its potential value more accurately.

In particular, participants were concerned that applications of genome editing should be aimed at supporting animal welfare and directed towards outcomes that promote the public interest, rather than merely the interests of commercial producers. Regulation was felt to be an important part of this.

Participants raised questions about how long-term impacts of genome editing in farmed animal breeding would be monitored and understood and were keen to see this factored into regulation.

Participants also expressed a desire for policy makers to consider promoting alternative approaches to addressing food and farming challenges, rather than automatically privileging new technological solutions such as genome editing.

Professor Melanie Welham, Executive Chair, BBSRC, said:

Danielle Hamm, Director, Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said:

Tom Saunders, Head of Public Engagement, UKRI, said:

The report of the dialogue is available to download here.