Nuffield Council on Bioethics Publishes Report on the ethical issues of Genome editing and farmed animal breeding

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is calling on the Government to put animal welfare at the heart of plans to approve new breeding technologies in farming and food production, in a new report ‘Genome editing and farmed animal breeding: social and ethical issues’, published 1 December 2021.

The report makes several recommendations to the UK Government and others involved in livestock farming and food production, including:

  • Investment in public dialogue to understand public values and concerns before any regulatory change to permit the sale of genome edited food happens.
  • Action to develop enhanced welfare standards and clear guidance on responsible breeding, with appropriate oversight.
  • Financial incentives for farmers and breeders to encourage ethical breeding practices that will drive up standards of animal welfare.
  • Food retailers to commit to only sell meat from animals that are bred responsibly.

Read the report