Gene Edited Foods: Can They Really Help Food Security in the Face of Climate Change?

26th April 2023 - Last modified 18th October 2023

By Pete Cussell PhD, Science Writer

In March, the UK Government relaxed legislation surrounding gene editing in agriculture, ushering in profound changes that could soon see gene edited foods hit our supermarket shelves. The regulation will enable the commercial development of gene edited foods in England, to be sold across the UK.

Arguments surrounding genetically modified (GM/GMO) foods are polarised and well-worn, but with gene editing technology now breaking through to the clinic, can we assume that contemporary technology, such as CRISPR, would be safe to use on crops? Amid a backdrop of an ever-growing threat from climate change, innovative interventions are sorely needed to boost food production.

At a glance, gene edited foods appear to be a simple solution to the UK’s long-term food security, but many ardent critics remain. With gene edited food once again in the spotlight, should the prospect of genetically engineered crops and livestock be cause for concern? Or could gene editing technology offer a line of defence for farmers struggling to deal with the effects of climate change?

In this blog, we will assess the current state of agricultural gene editing in Britain, and examine the potential impact of the UK Government’s new legislation on the environment, farmers and consumers.

What Exactly Does the New Legislation Permit?

The newly passed Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act permits the commercial development of gene edited crops in England. While the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have rejected the commercial use of gene editing, gene edited foods could be sold UK-wide in the near future [1].

The term “gene edited crops” specifically relates to crops that have been enhanced with gene editing tools like the popular CRISPR-Cas9 platform. The goal of gene editing is to improve crop traits such as drought or disease resistance by inserting, deleting, modifying or replacing DNA.

Gene edited crops are distinct from traditional GMO crops, which are instead altered via the introduction of genetic material from other organisms to promote desirable traits – For example, Bt cotton, a GMO cotton variety that contains a gene from a soil organism to prevent insect pests.

The law change may also enable the development of gene-edited farm animals, although this is dependent upon a further vote by MPs before it is allowed in England.

Why the Need for Gene Edited Foods?

Climate change is drastically impacting crop growing conditions in the UK thanks to rising temperatures, variable rainfall patterns and lengthy dry spells. This shift has provided harsh growing conditions for crops traditionally grown in the UK, and given rise to unique disease and pest threats.

Potato farmers, for example, are facing increased incidence of late blight, which is a disease caused by warm, humid weather that attacks the foliage and tubers causing potatoes to rot. According to a recent Climate Risk Management paper [2], late blight is projected to occur around 70% more often in the UK in the next 30-50 years.  Potato growing, as well as many other crops, will also be threatened by drought in the future, with the UK experiencing hotter, drier summers.

The climate emergency is creating new challenges for pastoral farming too. Heat stress in dairy cattle is a growing example of this, and can have a significant impact on milk production. Like the incidence rates of late blight, heat stress is also projected to increase significantly. In South West England, the UK’s main dairy farming region, heat stress currently affects cattle for an average of 2-3 days per year. However, in 30-50 years’ time, this figure is set to increase to around one month per year [2].

Climate change is bringing sweeping changes to the agricultural landscape of the UK, becoming a clear and present threat to crop yield and productivity. As our weather becomes less predictable, farmers need to adapt to meet production demands.

How Can Gene Editing Help Arable and Pastoral Farming?

In the last two decades, we have witnessed massive advances in biotechnology and genomics, and this has driven the development of numerous technologies for agricultural improvement. Gene editing is one such new technology that has already been successfully applied in a wide variety of plants and animals.

For crops, gene editing can be utilised to enhance favourable traits, helping them to grow stronger and become more resistant to pest and disease threats. By modifying a crop’s genetic code, various benefits can be achieved:

● Increased yield – By editing the genes responsible for plant growth and development, crops can be made to grow faster, and produce a greater yield of fruit or seeds.

● Disease resistance – By editing the genes responsible for a plant’s defence mechanisms, crops can be made more resistant to pests and diseases. In turn, this can lead to reduced use of harmful pesticides, making for a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach.

● Drought resistance – Water uptake and conservation can be manipulated with gene editing, enabling farmers to create crops with greater resilience to drought conditions.

● Nutritional value – By upregulating genes responsible for vitamin and nutrient production, gene editing can be harnessed to increase the nutritional value of crops.

Gene editing can also bring great value to animal farming. As with crops, positive traits can be enhanced in animals, in a similar way to selective breeding that has been around for millennia. Gene editing can vastly speed up this process though, enabling better disease resistance, improved meat quality, reduced environmental impact and improved animal welfare.

Cause for Concern?

Potential concerns regarding gene edited foods remain, and these should be addressed to ensure that gene editing is used in a responsible manner:

● Safety – As with GMO foods, one of the primary concerns regarding gene edited crops and livestock, is their safety for human consumption. While there is no proof that gene-edited products present a greater threat to health than conventional products, rigorous safety testing should be implemented to ensure their safety.

● Unwanted effects – Some critics have raised concerns over the possibility of off-target mutations or other unintended effects of gene editing having a negative impact upon the crops/animals that could be potentially damaging to the environment. To combat this concern, rigorous and transparent testing should be implemented to foster consumer confidence.

● Lack of regulation – There is no international consensus on how gene edited foods should be regulated, and the new law makes England one of the first regions to grant permission. To ensure that gene editing is used in a responsible manner, clear guidelines and transparency will be required.

While gene editing has the potential to transform agriculture in the UK, addressing these concerns will be important to ensure that the technology is used in a safe and ethical way, and to garner public support.

What Next for Gene Edited Foods?

Whether or not you support the use of gene editing technology in agriculture, gene edited crops will soon be emerging from England’s green pastures. For the most part, this appears to be a valuable tool for struggling farmers, but with a current lack of clear guidelines and regulation, due diligence and care should be taken to ensure that this technology is used in a responsible and transparent manner. 

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References

(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/genetic-technology-act-key-tool-for-uk-food-security

(2) Garry, F.K. et al. (2021). Climate Risk Management, 32.