BIA submission to FSA consultation on precision bred organisms for food and feed

The BIA has responded to the FSA's consultation on proposals for a new framework in England for the regulation of precision bred organisms (PBOs) used for food and animal feed. The FSA are aiming to establish a regulatory framework under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 passed in March 2023. Prior to this act receiving royal assent, Defra held a consultation on the regulation of genetic technologies, which BIA responded to. 

The BIA supports the intentions of the precision breeding act and welcomes the FSA's consultation. Gene editing can help society tackle environmental challenges and enable the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. In order to transform and sustainably grow its economy through scientific and technological progress, the UK needs an innovation-friendly regulatory framework that enables the biotechnology industry and its use of modern genetic technologies. Critical to this is having a framework that fosters commercialisation by regulating the product instead of the process of its creation.