Defra Secretary George Eustice has said there is ‘no scientific justification whatsoever’ for the EU’s ban on UK seed potato exports.

The Secretary of State told attendees of the opening session of the online Oxford Farming Conference that the UK Government had applied ‘on the first available day’ for recognition of equivalence, which would overturn the ban.

The EU introduced the prohibition on the product, deemed to be a plant health risk, after the UK Government refused to dynamically align itself with the bloc’s regulations.

The U.K. is looking at changing regulations to allow gene editing in farming, in a sign of shifting agricultural policy following the nation’s departure from the European Union.

The government plans to consult on whether to regulate certain gene-editing organisms differently from genetically modified products, it said in a statement ahead of a speech by Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Allowing gene editing could unlock substantial benefits to the environment and help farmers with crops that are resistant to pests, disease or extreme weather, he said.

The UK government has launched a consultation on using gene editing to modify livestock and food crops in England.

Gene editing alters the DNA of organisms and, until now, its use had been tightly restricted under EU law.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the approach could be used to develop crops that are more resistant to disease and extreme weather.

NASA has agreed to help develop space technology and utilise scientific experience to 'transform and bolster' the future of agriculture.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening its partnership with NASA.

Researchers will explore gaps of importance to the agricultural community that could be addressed through innovative Earth observation systems and technologies developed over the next decade.

A cross-party group of MPs have highlighted serious concerns regarding the UK's veterinary capacity after the end of the Brexit transition period.

The new report, produced by the House of Commons EFRA Committee, outlines the essential role of veterinary surgeons throughout the food chain.

Projects seeking to transform the UK food system, by placing healthy people and a healthy natural environment at its centre received a £24m boost today.

Four interdisciplinary research projects have received funding through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF). These five-year programmes will address issues such as obesity, sustainable agriculture and global warming.

Food prices may increase as a result of new curbs on workers in the UK food supply chain post-transition period, cross-party MPs have warned.

The government must be ready to make changes to its new immigration policy, or risk increased food prices, according to their new report.

The House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has published the conclusion to its Labour in the Food Supply Chain inquiry.

Consumers could have a direct line to food producers through the use of ‘smart labelling’ which would increase trust, according to new research.

The Smart Tags project is working with consumers, farmers and retailers to develop smart labelling similar to QR codes.

These active and intelligent labels will allow shoppers to get rapid and better information about food and drinks they consume.

Genome editing does not pose any additional hazards compared to conventional breeding or other genetic modification methods, meaning that existing guidance is adequate for their assessment, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has concluded.

EFSA’s latest scientific opinion, published on Wednesday (24 November), focuses on plants produced using different genome editing techniques, including oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and two kinds of site-directed nucleases.

These techniques modify a specific region of the genome but, unlike traditional genetic modification (GM), do not introduce foreign DNA.

Scientists want to create a production pipeline of a tomato crop enriched with the Parkinson's disease drug L-DOPA, giving patients new access to one of the world's most essential medicines.

The development of the genetically modified (GM) tomato, led by British researchers, has implications for developing nations where access to pharmaceutical drugs is restricted.

This novel use of tomatoes as a natural source of L-DOPA also offers benefits for people who suffer adverse effects, such as nausea, of chemically synthesised L-DOPA.