Precision Breeding

In this episode of Agronomy Matters, Thomas Vaughan, Environment Manager at BASIS, is joined by Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN, and Dr Dylan Phillips, geneticist and lecturer at Aberystwyth University.

Together, they discuss precision breeding, a fast-developing area in UK farming. The conversation covers:

• What precision breeding is, and how it differs from traditional genetic modification
• The aims of the PROBITY project, the first European trial of precision-bred cereal crops on farms
• How recent changes in UK legislation and government funding are supporting this work

• What precision breeding could mean for farmers in terms of crop performance, sustainability and business resilience
• How farm businesses can get involved in research and trials

Whether you're a farmer, adviser, or simply interested in agricultural innovation, this episode offers a practical look at where precision breeding is headed and why it matters now.