The production and consumption of food in the UK is a cherished part of our culture, our society, and our natural environment. For many, food is strongly associated with family, friends, joy and nourishment. Equally, many farmed areas are seen as a quintessentially British landscapes, associated with healthy enjoyment of the outdoors. Unfortunately, however, the UK agri-food system is not perfect. Some of the ways in which our food is now produced are not sustainable, not secure and not healthy for the consumer. Given the climate emergency, the biodiversity challenge, the cost-of-living crisis, concerns about food security, and increasing diet-related ill health, we must find innovative ways to change the UK food system for the better.

For thousands of years, through human selection and more recently breeding, we have continually changed and improved our farmed plants and animals to increase the benefits we derive from foods and reduce any risks. We will explore the impact that these technologies have had and discuss their different features. We will also discuss how precision breeding using genome editing improves upon these technologies and what its role could be towards feeding the global population in a sustainable manner.