UK makes gene-editing push

The UK is pressing ahead with new rules to allow the use of gene-editing technology for plants, despite European Union opprobrium.

The EU has long been against genetic modification, and has strict frameworks governing its use. The UK, however, has generally been more open to the tech, especially for agriculture. 

The new legislation would make it easier to develop crops resilient to pests, disease, and climate change, which the EU warned would be incompatible with a plan to remove border checks on UK plants and animals coming into the bloc. 

A UK government minister said he hoped that by the time the new rules come into effect, the EU “will be seeing things differently.”

Source: Semafor