Public dialogue on genome editing and farmed animals

We are working with BBSRC and Sciencewise on a new public dialogue exploring the use of genome editing in farmed animals.

Genome editing - known commonly as ‘gene editing’ - is the precise, targeted, alteration of a DNA sequence in a living cell. It enables changes to the genome - which aim to secure certain physical traits in new generations of farmed animals - to be made much faster and with greater precision than other types of genetic technologies, or through traditional breeding methods.

Research in this area is well advanced, and the UK Government have announced plans to amend the regulation of some genome edited organisms, including plants and animals, which could pave the way for the introduction of genome editing into the food and farming system.

The dialogue is expected to involve around 80 members of the public and is taking place between May and July 2022. It is being overseen by an advisory group chaired by Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment, and former BBC Environment Correspondent. A report of the findings will be published in September.

Research consultancy Basis Social have been appointed to deliver this public dialogue. Basis Social previously delivered our Nuffield Council on Bioethics commissioned rapid online dialogue in 2021.

We will update this page with further information as the dialogue gets underway.

Read our press release.

Project team