Under the recently passed Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill it will now be legal to officially grow gene edited crops in England, without labelling. The change has not come into force in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the bill becoming law, researchers have been able to grow gene edited crops using a precursor rule. On the DEFRA website seven trials are listed as currently underway.
However, there are concerns over the new legislation, as there is no requirement to specify where gene edited crops are being grown or who is growing them. This is because under the new law they are classified as no different to plants growing in the natural environment.