Beyond GM Publications

This page brings together Beyond GM’s publications on genetic technologies in food, farming and the environment. You’ll find reports, briefings and explainers that unpack the science, policy and wider implications of genetic modification in the UK and beyond. Produced by Beyond GM and our A Bigger Conversation initiative, these resources are designed to inform public debate, support scrutiny of regulatory change, and encourage more transparent, accountable decision-making about our food system. They are free to download and share.


Gene Editing Short Briefs

These short briefs offer concise, evidence-based insights into key developments in GM and gene-editing policy. They are designed to support informed scrutiny, cut through hype, and make complex regulatory and scientific issues easier to understand.

Publication Downloads
PBOs: A Food Standards Agency Failure
Gene Editing: Breaking Biological Limits

Other briefs in this series


Genetic Technologies Manifesto 2024

As the UK heads for a general election and a possible change of government, we have an opportunity to shift the debate around genetic technologies away from the narrow. and in many ways false. narrative of GMOs – new and old – as strictly a science and innovation issue. First and foremost they are a food, farming and environment issue and policymaking, including upcoming amendments to the Genetic Technology Act, should be viewed through this lens.

Publication Downloads
Genetic Technologies in Food and Farming – General Election Manifesto 2024

A shorter summary version of the Manifesto is also available.


Genetic Technology Bill Briefs

During the passage of the Genetic Technology Bill over 2022/23 Beyond GM provided numerous briefs to policymakers, advisors and parliamentarians. Some of these focused specifically on the Bill and amendments, others focused on the contextual issues raised by the Bill. A selection of these is below.

Publication Downloads
Genetic Technology Bill Lord First Reading
Genetic Technology Bill Lords Report Stage
Genetic Technology Bill, Commons First Brief
Genetic Technology Bill Commons Second Reading

Additional Briefs


Safeguarding Agroecology

This factsheet supports our recent webinar which aimed to bring hosted by the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network, aimed to bring those involved in local and regional food production up to speed on the latest developments in genetic engineering and to provide an agroecological framework for thinking and talking about the ‘new GMOs’.​

Publication Downloads
Agroecology & the Threat of Gene Editing

Defra Consultation on Deregulating GMOs

On 7 January 2021 Defra launched a public consultation into deregulating plants and animals created using gene-editing. Beyond GM has worked individually and in close collaboration with other groups, notably GM Freeze, on a public facing response to the consultation including advice for the general public on how to respond, and a social media campaign to encourage public engagement. We have also produced a brief for MPs and our own comprehensive response to the consultation. In addition, we worked with Slow Food UK on a letter to Supermarkets asking them not to stock deregulated GMOs. Links to these documents and to our official response to the consultation are below.

Publication Downloads
How to respond to the Defra consultation
Beyond GM and Slow Food UK letter to supermarkets
Briefing for MPs on key issues around gene editing and deregulation
Beyond GM’s official response to the public consultation on deregulating GMOs

Joint Letters and Statements

Here you’ll find joint letters and statements that Beyond GM has co-signed or contributed to. These reflect moments where working collectively has been essential to raise concerns, influence decision-makers, and place the public interest on record.

Publication Downloads
Food Strategy Alliance Letter, 3 Dec 2025
Joint Statement: Obligation For Detection And Identification Methods Of GMO-NGTS
Joint Statement: Freedom of Choice only possible through labelling and traceability of NGT-GMOs

A Bigger Conversation

Our A Bigger Conversation initiative brings voices from all sides of the debate – from science, ethics, faith, environment, business and more – together to discuss a range of issues around new genetic engineering techniques. We’ll be adding more reports as they become available.

Publication Downloads
Report from our World Cafe – Executive Summary
Report from our World Cafe – Full Report 
Report from our UK Roundtable

Recent comments/briefs

Our responses to various calls for evidence on the future of food provide some food for thought and briefs on current issues.

Publication Downloads
Detailed political briefing on moves to deregulate GMOs via the UK’s Agriculture Bill
Detailed action briefing on moves to deregulate GMOs in the UK via the Agriculture Bill
Submission to the European Group on Ethics in Science and Technology
Submission to the UK National Food Strategy Call for Evidence
Submission to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics Call for Evidence on Gene-edited Animals
Submission to the European Commission Farm To Fork consultation

Good Food Makes Everything Better

An early series that explores the multiple ways in which food links into human and environmental wellbeing. For links to sources and suggested readings for each leaflet see here.

Publication Downloads
GMOs
Animal Welfare
Climate Change
Health
Food Waste
Wildlife
Hunger
Pesticides

For chefs

Chefs are being specifically targeted by the biotech industry to serve food that may not even be in the supermarkets yet. Often it is not labelled – so customers never know if they are eating GMOs or not. Our Stir the Pot initiative aims to get chefs and others in food service learning more, thinking more and talking more about all the issues around GMOs.

Publication Downloads
Exploring the slow creep of GMO foods into the restaurant food chain.
What customers want chefs to know about GMOs

With the Greencuisine Trust

As part of our work with chefs and others in the food industry via out Stir the Pot initiative we are very pleased to be working with the Greencuisine Trust to produce a series of five downloadable leaflets looking at GMOs in the UK food system. Here’s the first three.

Publication Downloads
GMOs in the UK
GMOs in Healthcare
GMOs & Farm Animals
GMOs in Herbs & Spices
GMOs & Corporate Control

For and about kids

Children feel the impact of our industrial food system more, for instance through poor nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins. It is also important that we find ways to help educate them about what a sustainable food system looks like.

Publication Downloads
The impacts of industrial food on children’s health
How much do you know about GMOs?

Our reports

Beyond GM has commissioned two important surveys which look at UK citizen concerns and beliefs around GMOs in food and farming, and at how these issues are represented in the media. Articles around these issues can be found on our main website.

Publication Downloads
Shocking pro-GMO bias at the BBC exposed
What customers want chefs to know about GMOs