| | 09/April/25
| UK Action Alert: Government consultation on precision bred seeds and plants – closing soon Beyond GM is urging businesses and individuals across the food and agriculture sectors to respond to DEFRA’s consultation on the Plant Varieties and Seeds Framework for Precision Bred Plant Varieties before the fast-approaching deadline of 14 April. The consultation addresses crucial issues of transparency and traceability for genetically modified precision-bred organisms (GM-PBOs) in the UK food supply chain. These regulations will impact:
* Seed companies and plant breeders
* Farmers and growers
* Food processors and manufacturers
* Retailers
* Organic and non-GMO producers
* Consumers who want choice about what they buy.
Following on from the widescale deregulation brought in with the UK’s Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, which removed existing labelling requirements for GM-PBOs, this consultation represents perhaps the final opportunity to ensure mandatory listing and labelling of these organisms. Beyond GM UK: The public consultation on labelling of GM seeds that's designed to exclude the public GM Freeze has today complained to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs about its consultation on the marketing of newer forms of genetically engineered seeds – those dubbed "precision bred" by the Westminster government. The new seed framework will follow closely on the heels of the deregulation of new genetically engineered plants, food and feed. GM Freeze says that the public consultation has not been designed for the public, but rather, to assess a narrow range of business impacts that might be faced by seed developers and suppliers. The campaign group points to the fact that all of the questions except one refer to business impacts. It says that this is dissuading the public from engaging with the consultation, which closes on 14 April. GMWatch UK: Misleading statements by Emma Hardy MP must be corrected Beyond GM has filed a formal complaint with DEFRA and the Chair of the Second Delegated Legislation Committee, Wera Hobhouse MP, regarding “significantly misleading statements” made in a committee meeting on 31 March 2025. The statements were made by DEFRA Parliamentary Under-Secretary Emma Hardy MP during a during the DLCs consideration of the Draft Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025. For example:
* Mischaracterising gene-edited organisms: Hardy claimed precision-bred organisms (PBOs) are are not genetically modified organisms (GMOs), despite scientific consensus and legal frameworks (including the UK’s Genetic Technology Act 2023) classifying gene editing as a form of genetic modification.
* False “no foreign DNA” claims: Under-Secretary Hardy validated assertions that gene editing doesn’t use DNA from unrelated species, contradicting scientific evidence and statements from the government’s own advisors. Beyond GM EU Action Alert: Do not deregulate "new GM" techniques (NGT) for wild plants! GFÖ – the largest scientific ecological society in Europe – has organised a petition related to the newly planned legislation regarding new GM techniques (NGT) in Europe. The EU will enter "trilogue" discussions between the Commission, Parliament, and Council, to discuss the deregulation of NGT for plants. The main target of the planned legislation is applications in agriculture. However, the new legislation would apply to all plant species, i.e. an estimated 300,000 species on Earth. There are many concerns about the proposed deregulation that have been voiced by scientists, NGOs, and individual EU citizens (e.g. about risk assessment, labelling, patenting, and traceability), but the deregulation for all plant species has gone largely unnoticed. Sign the petition demanding that wild plants are excluded from deregulation! GMWatch Higher urinary glyphosate levels linked to all-cause deaths Higher urinary glyphosate may be associated with more all-cause death, a new study by Chinese scientists finds. The correlation is more pronounced in females. Additionally, glyphosate may have a higher effect on cancer mortality in patients without hypertension. Scientific Reports We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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