Scotland risks being left behind on precision breeding policy as England, the EU and the US press ahead, Scottish farm leaders have warned.

Scotland's divergence with the rest of the UK and global partners could risk trade friction and added cost, according to three industry groups.

They have urged the Scottish government to drop its opposition to precision breeding tech, allowing farmers to 'reap the benefits' of gene-edited crops.

Report lays bare how increased costs linked Brexit, climate change and other factors threaten UK food security and hit the poor hardest.

City Harvest has published the second edition of its Food Value Report, which emphasises that the UK’s food self-sufficiency is at a critical low.

The charity points out that the UK imports nearly half of its vegetables (48 per cent) and over 80 per cent of fruit. This puts the availability and affordability of fresh produce – which plays an important part in people’s health – at risk.

GlobalData says Artificial Intelligence will make farming more efficient and reduce the sector’s environmental impact.

GlobalData has released a report highlighting how Artificial Intelligence has the potential to ”supercharge” efficiency throughout the agribusiness value chain.

According to the analytics and data specialist, AI could support precision agriculture, automate labour-intensive tasks, verify the sustainability of supply chains, and even accelerate the gene editing of crops.

Researchers are excited about the potential for Epichloë fungal endophytes to protect cereal crops such as wheat from pests and disease, while also reducing chemical use — building on the proven success of endophytes in New Zealand pastures.

Scientists at AgResearch and its subsidiary Grasslanz Technology have been trialling the application of these fungi, which live inside certain plants and can provide protective qualities to the plant, in wheat. Modern wheat does not naturally host these endophytes, but some wild grass relatives of modern cereal crops do.

The success of selected endophytes in ryegrass has already been well-documented, with the commercialised AR37 endophyte strain estimated to contribute $3.6 billion to the economy over the life of its 20-year patent.

Science for Sustainable Agriculture, a pro-science think tank, has launched a stinging attack on the so-called “farmwashing” campaign launched by organic veg box supplier Riverford against supermarket practices, accusing the group of “brazen hypocrisy”.

The Farmers Against Farmwashing campaign was launched in late September, with 100 individuals and farming organisations writing to the “big six” supermarkets, objecting to their use of “fake farm brands”.

The Labour government is being accused of underplaying the threat of climate change, which could drastically shorten the crop growing season and so jeopardise food security.

One of the key risks identified in a new scientific report is the potential collapse of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre, an ocean current driven by wind patterns and the Earth’s rotation, which could shorten the UK’s growing season by as much as 60 days.

Leading climate research organisations, including the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative, participated in the research and emphasised that the UK government is neglecting a critical national security threat. This, coupled with recent devastating droughts and floods, raises urgent concerns for food security.

Britain is setting up a new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to speed up the approval of new technologies such as artificial intelligence for use in the healthcare, space and drone sectors, in an effort to boost growth.

The government said on Tuesday that the new RIO would make it easier for companies to introduce cutting-edge technologies, and it would help set the scene for an international investment summit on Oct. 14.

British science and technology minister Peter Kyle said the RIO was aimed at ensuring doctors can diagnose illnesses earlier, allow bio-engineers to create cleaner fuels and more pest resistant crops, and ensure drones can be used for delivery in future.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed that Category 1 NGT plants present no additional hazards compared to those produced through conventional breeding.

Euroseeds welcomed the findings, calling discriminatory regulations for NGT-derived plants unjustified and contrary to scientific evidence.

In a report presented to the EU Parliament’s Envi Committee, EFSA concluded that genetic modifications in NGT plants align with those found in conventionally bred plants, justifying their equivalence.

Methane emissions from dairy farms are higher than thought, according to a study by the University of East Anglia (UEA), published today (3 October).

However, if captured and turned into biogas, emitted methane could be worth more than £400m a year to the sector in saved fuel costs, or around £52,500 for an average dairy farm, the study suggests.

Capture technology already exists, and if rolled out, researchers say conversion of methane to biofuel could reduce emissions equivalent to an estimated 5.8%.

The AHDB has set up a new carbon baselining pilot to help farmers deliver on environmental targets by demonstrating the scale and potential of natural carbon stocks across British agriculture.

Environment director Chris Gooderham explains how agriculture is facing a challenge demonstrating the positive impact farming systems have on the environment – a task made more difficult by a lack of accurate on-farm data.

To support the industry in tackling this issue, the project will provide a starting point for tracking changes in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration over time, and identify where there are opportunities for improvements.

A shrinking area of oilseed rape plantings this autumn is set to increase the UK’s dependence on imports of rapeseed oil, including from countries producing the crop using chemicals banned for use here.

Owen Cligg, of the farmer co-operative United Oilseeds, confirmed that OSR plantings are expected to be lower this season, estimating production between 200,000ha-250,000ha, compared with a surviving area of 280,000ha for the 2024 harvest.

“We are probably only going to be looking at 750,000t of rapeseed oil grown in Britain this year, allowing for a yield variation of between 3-3.5t/ha,” Mr Cligg told Farmers Weekly. “On that basis, rapeseed oil will be down.”

Crops which have been genetically edited will be grown in farms across England under new laws to be announced by the Government. Tomatoes engineered to provide more vitamin D and sugar beet which requires less pesticide will be among the first plants with modified DNA.

Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner said: “With these measures, our agriculture sector will be at the forefront of innovation across the world.”

The legislation will allow the use of gene editing to create crops designed to be more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease and able to cope with the effects of climate change.