Gene editing is now approved

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich
Has been lots of talk about this over the past few years. But I saw the Lords approved if finally on Monday.

Being on a level playing field with USA, Japan, Austrailia etc seems a good idea on the face of it, is we are to compete. But the luddite in me still doesn't like something about it. I think I need to do more reading on it, to get more comfortable with it.

Anyone else feel the same or point me in the direction of some more reading?
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Has been lots of talk about this over the past few years. But I saw the Lords approved if finally on Monday.

Being on a level playing field with USA, Japan, Austrailia etc seems a good idea on the face of it, is we are to compete. But the luddite in me still doesn't like something about it. I think I need to do more reading on it, to get more comfortable with it.

Anyone else feel the same or point me in the direction of some more reading?

Even if it is safe I’m pretty worried about the contracts we would have to sign for access to it.
 
Has been lots of talk about this over the past few years. But I saw the Lords approved if finally on Monday.

Being on a level playing field with USA, Japan, Austrailia etc seems a good idea on the face of it, is we are to compete. But the luddite in me still doesn't like something about it. I think I need to do more reading on it, to get more comfortable with it.

Anyone else feel the same or point me in the direction of some more reading?

If gene editing (which is genetic modification howsoever you want to dress it up) becomes mainstream in the UK, you can get anyone wanting to use the technology will have to enter in package deals with the big names and use their chemistry and inputs. You wait and see. It's a similar model the multinationals pursued in America.
 

Gadget

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Sutton Coldfield
If gene editing (which is genetic modification howsoever you want to dress it up) becomes mainstream in the UK, you can get anyone wanting to use the technology will have to enter in package deals with the big names and use their chemistry and inputs. You wait and see. It's a similar model the multinationals pursued in America.
I think gene editing is only within the same species (wheat to wheat etc) Which I don't think the public will have a problem with.
I recall a meeting I was at years ago where Monsanto not only supplied the inputs, they also bought the crop! This was suggested in the USA and I don't know if it came about.
 

ajd132

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
No problem with the actual technology. But this will continue with the vertical integration of farm business from the top down.
Not good for farmers, if it is controlled by multi nationals. May aswell rent the farm to them as we will become little more than applicators.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I think gene editing is only within the same species (wheat to wheat etc) Which I don't think the public will have a problem with.
I recall a meeting I was at years ago where Monsanto not only supplied the inputs, they also bought the crop! This was suggested in the USA and I don't know if it came about.

Gene editing does exactly the same as selective breeding, just faster.

If nobody wants to sign the supply contracts, then they don’t have to. If there is a financial advantage from doing so then I expect plenty will, just the same as those who drill hybrid barleys.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
Cannot see how gene editing will provide any benefit at all to the farmer
I know exactly where the money from this will go
Seems to be a god step forward to me in livestock and crops.
There seems to be a big worry than someone other than farmers will make money out of it, but how is it different from any other crop breeding research that produces new varieties? Their use is controlled too.
Perhaps TFF members could club together and fund the TFF crop research group? Using the new tech you could research new varieties and find a more profitable crop that you could patent?
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
You don't have to buy from them, just like farmers in the US don't have to.
Its not the techs fault if people don't use it properly.
You're already dependant on seed, fert and chemical companies.

you can’t compete unless you do so in reality I’m not sure you “don’t have to” if you want to stay on business
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
you can’t compete unless you do so in reality I’m not sure you “don’t have to” if you want to stay on business
People wont use the tech if it doesn't give them an advantage or make them more money. I'm sure you already grow the best varieties you can, gene editing just speeds things up and could help with better yields, disease resistance and god knows what else. Blight resistant spuds?
You're usually a fan of things moving forward, what's the problem with this?
 

ajd132

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
People wont use the tech if it doesn't give them an advantage or make them more money. I'm sure you already grow the best varieties you can, gene editing just speeds things up and could help with better yields, disease resistance and god knows what else. Blight resistant spuds?
You're usually a fan of things moving forward, what's the problem with this?
It’s still just an advancement of the same treadmill we have been on for years.
It’s still buying a short term solution to a problem, rather than addressing the cause.
GM crops in the states have many of the same issues we face with pesticides. Roundup resistance, resistance to the by cotton genes to stop the insects.
I have no problem with this technology and will probably use it but it is still part of the ‘chasing the red queen’ treadmill of agronomics.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
It’s still just an advancement of the same treadmill we have been on for years.
It’s still buying a short term solution to a problem, rather than addressing the cause.
GM crops in the states have many of the same issues we face with pesticides. Roundup resistance, resistance to the by cotton genes to stop the insects.
I have no problem with this technology and will probably use it but it is still part of the ‘chasing the red queen’ treadmill of agronomics.


^ this
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
gene editing, isn't quite as bad as GM, and could be useful. The problem is, you cannot trust the nutty professors not to go down 'different' and less ethical routes. What starts off as a simple good idea, rapidly changes to a 'what if' scenario, which can be extremely dangerous.
But that is what research is for, to see what is possible, or what isn't. You just cannot rely on them, to be sensible.
 

delilah

Member
you can’t compete unless you do so in reality I’m not sure you “don’t have to” if you want to stay on business

A bit like carbon trading then ?
I don't see how anyone can be pro carbon trading yet anti GE. They are both going to benefit global corporations rather than farmers, and once one farmer does it then everyone else will be forced to do so to stay in the game.
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
A bit like carbon trading then ?
I don't see how anyone can be pro carbon trading yet anti GE. They are both going to benefit global corporations rather than farmers, and once one farmer does it then everyone else will be forced to do so to stay in the game.
that, unfortunately, is how todays world functions, probably how it always have, the rich control the poor.
That doesn't mean that we shouldn't use advantages, going forward, any increase in food production, may be very welcome. To keep feeding the worlds population, new ideas, methods and crops will appear, and need to.
Carbon trading, is a tricky one, but in time, it will/perhaps become 'normal', first step is to get a single definition, of how to measure it !
Both, in the end, will come from scientists, and l am not sure how much we should trust them. The past is full of the 'new best thing, since sliced bread', that time has proved anything but.
Its not what they tell us, its more what they don't, because for every 1 good thing, there are many disasters.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
A bit like carbon trading then ?
I don't see how anyone can be pro carbon trading yet anti GE. They are both going to benefit global corporations rather than farmers, and once one farmer does it then everyone else will be forced to do so to stay in the game.

inaccurate

i’m a farmer snd i’m benefiting financially
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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