Gene-edited crops are necessary if UK is serious about trying to decrease
the use of chemical pesticides, according to Department of Environment,
Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) Minister, George Eustice. He said this
statement in response to the letter addressed to him by a group of
scientists and industry leaders, which demanded clarity on how the UK
Government's 'Chequers' Brexit plan would affect gene research. The letter
was sent after the European Court of Justice declared that gene editing
should be subject to the same regulations implemented to genetic
modification.

"We disagree with the judgement the ECJ has come up with. We think gene
editing and cisgenesis is largely an extension of conventional breeding
techniques, the likes of which we have had for decades," said Eustice on
behalf of Defra."It is already the case that GM foods are widely sold in the
EU, particularly in animal feed, where they predominate, even though the EU
does not allow the cultivation of crops...As a decision, it is very much a
national one, not affected by the common rule book," he emphasized.

[www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk]
uld-not-adopt-eu-ban-on-gene-edited-crops/