New GMO seeds must be properly listed and labelled to prevent contamination, which would jeopardise the integrity of the organic and non-GMO sectors and prevent farmers, community groups, and home gardeners from accessing, conserving, and adapting climate-resilient GM-free crops.
DEFRA is currently consulting on new rules for how a new type of genetically modified organism (GMO) — called a precision bred organism (PBO) — will be regulated, labelled, and listed in the UK. These rules will have serious consequences for anyone who wants to grow, sell, or buy non-GMO or organic seeds and food.
Despite the name, precision breeding isn’t conventional breeding at all (like crossing and selection) — it’s a form of genetic engineering that alters the DNA of a plant or animal using new biotechnology tools like CRISPR. These changes are claimed to be similar to ones that “could have” happened from traditional processes, but many scientists and campaigners argue this is a misleading and unscientific definition. In fact, under UK law, PBOs are still GMOs — the government has simply created a new sub-category of them in order to remove key safety checks and allow faster commercial rollout.
The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 has already removed many of the regulatory safeguards that previously applied to these gene-edited organisms. Now, Defra is deciding whether to introduce basic transparency measures like a publicly accessible PBO plant variety list and mandatory seed labelling. But these protections could be scrapped under pressure from the biotech industry.
Without clear labelling and traceability for precision bred organisms , organic and non-GMO farmers, growers, seed savers and food businesses will find it nearly impossible to avoid contamination.
Farmers, community groups, and home gardeners play a vital role in conserving, using, and adapting crop diversity in response to climate change. If the UK is serious about building a biodiverse, climate resilient food system it must also invest in and protect the tried-and-tested, community-led approaches to crop development that GMOs actively undermine — and which remain our best hope for creating solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises which threaten our food system.
The UK Government’s consultation on the labelling of precision-bred genetically modified organisms (PBOs) closes on Monday, 14th April — and the stakes are high. The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 has triggered sweeping deregulation of PBOs, making clear seed labelling essential to protect the integrity of the organic and non-GMO sectors. The outcome of this consultation will have wide-reaching consequences for the UK food and farming industries and everyone who buys seeds.
The Gaia Foundation calls on the UK Government to require clear, visible labelling of all PBOs — including details of any patents linked to them. We also urge the Government to follow through on its 2022 commitment to publish a plant variety and seed strategy. This strategy must create a supportive legislative framework that allows farmers, community groups, and home gardeners to access, conserve, and adapt climate-resilient crops — which, unlike GMOs, have a proven track record of sustaining local economies, providing nutritious food, and preserving biodiversity.
Failing to label PBOs would force anyone buying seeds to rely on confusing and inaccessible spreadsheets to determine if a variety is precision-bred. It would annihilate their right to be informed and choose the seeds they wish to use. The organic sector — which strictly prohibits PBOs — could inadvertently use untraceable precision-bred inputs like silage or straw, making compliance with organic standards impossible, jeopardising a growing market that is trusted by its consumers. In devolved nations such as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where PBOs may be marketed, but not grown due to stricter national laws, legal adherence would be compromised. Moreover, trade with the EU, which classifies PBOs as GMOs, would be severely complicated.
The cost of not labelling PBOs far outweighs the minimal effort required to include a clear yet small notice on packaging. Seed companies already operate within detailed labelling requirements and compared to the sweeping regulatory changes brought about by Brexit, this would be a small and easily manageable adjustment.
Beyond PBO labelling, the UK Government must also address the broader needs of the food and farming system by fulfilling its commitment to develop a plant variety and seed strategy—first launched with a call for ideas in September 2022, but which has seen little to no further progress. Farmers, community groups, and home gardeners play a vital role in conserving, using, and adapting crop diversity in response to climate change. To support this, they need access to a wide range of seeds that often fall outside the rigid criteria of distinctness, uniformity, and stability set by current seed marketing rules. These rules must be reformed to enable the legal marketing of diverse, heterogeneous varieties, provide clarity for the marketing of seed for the home garden and non-commercial crop sectors and align with EU organic standards to ensure that biodiverse, climate-resilient crops can thrive.
Proper labelling of PBOs is the bare minimum. To truly build resilient food systems, the UK must also invest in and protect the tried-and-tested, community-led approaches to crop development that GMOs actively undermine — and which remain our best hope for climate and biodiversity resilience.
Join us in standing for seed sovereignty at this vital time by completing the consultation by the 14th of April. GM Freeze has produced guidance on how to respond to the consultation questions and completing it will take just 10 minutes.
