Scotland and UK split over gene-edited food

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The minister said that Scotland shouldn't have food products compulsory because of the easing of regulations.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill was introduced by the UK government.

The idea was dismissed by the environment secretary.

She told George Eustice and Alister Jack that Scotland wouldn't make the same changes as England.

Ms McAllan said the Scottish government won't accept any constraints on the way it sets standards.

Scientists can modify a plant or animal's genes.

Without adding genetic material from another species, scientists can engineer crops that are more resistant to diseases.

Anything approved for sale in one part of the UK has to be available in the whole of the UK.

One of the first genes-edited produce to go on sale could be tomatoes.

Scotland and Wales have the power to limit the use of genetically edited produce.

"If the UK government is determined to press ahead with this legislation, it must take steps to ensure that its revisions to the definition of a 'genetically modified organisms' do not force products on Scotland which do not meet standards here," Ms McAllan wrote.

She was concerned that the bill would affect Scotland's food exports to the EU.

She wrote that removing gene-edited products from England's GM regulatory regime could have implications for compliance costs and future trade.

There is a chance of new trade barriers coming in the form of checks and certification requirements on UK food exports into the EU's single market.

Products exported to the EU which contain precision-bred plant material, but also those in the same product categories which do not, would be affected by this.

The Scottish government isn't saying "never" after they turned down the UK government's offer to include Scotland.

It would prefer to wait for an EU-wide review of the technology rather than press ahead with England.

Part of the reason for that is political - the hope is that Scotland can one day rejoin the union as an independent nation.

If the European single market wants to keep gene-edited produce out, it needs to be able to trade with other countries.

The UK's single market rules mean that if a produce is approved in England, it must go into the Scottish market.

Holyrood ministers don't like how that could cut across their powers to regulate what's suitable for sale and are seeking an exemption without saying what action they will take if they don't get one.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) in Scotland is in favor of gene editing, but Scottish ministers are against it.

The EU launched a consultation on bringing forward similar legislation for plants, food and feed.

George Eustice, a UK cabinet minister, wrote to the First Minister saying that the new bill would allow the UK to become the best place in the world to invest in agricultural innovation.

We are free to follow the science outside of the EU.

These precision technologies allow us to speed up the breeding of plants that have natural resistance to diseases, so we can have higher yields with less pesticides and fertilisers.

The UK has some incredible academic centers of excellence.