Written by Charlotte Cunningham
UK policy needs to optimise and allow novel breeding techniques – such as gene editing – in order for farming to become part of the climate change solution, according to experts from Bayer. Charlotte Cunningham reports. Speaking at the Anglia Farmers ‘Shaping the Future’ crop production conference this week, Bayer’s Mark Buckingham told delegates about the importance of future regulations allowing the industry to innovate with techniques such as gene editing. “If policy makers are serious about climate change and food shortages – why are they blocking gene editing?,” asked Mark. “Politicians are stuck in precautionary mode in Europe and are holding new technology to impossibly high standards when we’re facing urgent problems. “We need to get serious about climate change – as well as how long it takes to develop products – and lets get on with it.” Public support Despite the hesitancy from policy makers, research commissioned by Bayer has shown that the general public do seem to be in favour of such techniques. “We carried out some research with ABC, which asked 2000 UK consumers that, if climate change and pressure on biodiversity meant we needed to change how we farm, how would you like to see…
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