The UK Agri-Tech Centre has welcomed the Government’s launch of the new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), announced by Science Secretary, the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, with the intention of accelerating public access to emerging technologies.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre is working with key government departments to pinpoint regulatory obstacles and establish priorities that will help the agri-tech sector address industry demands while promoting UK food security, economic growth, and progress toward net zero.
Dr Grace O’Gorman, head of external affairs at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said: “We welcome the UK Government’s launch of the RIO and its emphasis on engineering biology, space, artificial intelligence, and connected and autonomous technology.
“These are areas which are already yielding benefits for the agri-industries, but there can be sticking points in the regulatory processes needed to accommodate innovation.
“The work of the UK Agri-Tech Centre spans the entire agri-industry innovation ecosystem, and we work with numerous project partners, researchers, technology developers and end-users, enabling us to inform regulatory processes comprehensively.
“We are committed to working closely with government departments and regulators to ensure that beneficial agri-innovations are smoothly and promptly integrated into the regulatory framework.
“We look forward to supporting the work of the RIO and to continuing our collaboration with government departments and regulators in key areas.”