Stu's Sofa Discussion Group

Generically
Modified
Crops?

What the  Panel on Stu's Sofa have to Say;
Fish - Mark Kelly - Steve Wilson - Karl Groom - John Beck - Steve Hughes - Stu Nichollson - Christina Magenta

Most people will eat crops during their lifetime.  The global sowing of genetically modified, or GM, crops will continue rising in the next few years, gaining more of a foothold in the world's food supply, but millions still need convincing that the food is safe to eat. 

For once, green groups can agree with the biotech industry on one thing: with Brazil and China now part of the growing family of major GM producers, the area of land devoted to gene-spliced crops across the world must inevitably rise.

"But there are doubts about how far the expansion can go, with questions lingering on China's commitment to GM crops and whether famine-hit Third World nations really want GM food aid."  adds the Galahad frontman.

"In 2003, six countries grew 99 percent of the world's transgenic crop area, it is frightening" concludes Steve Wilson

"Most of those using the technology would be small Third World farmers. Maize and cotton would drive the fuckin' growth, with soy production likely to rise after Brazil's recent approval of herbicide-tolerant beans." he adds

"What drives some of these (skeptical) countries is the European policy toward biotechnology," he adds. 

"It is restricting the freedom of choice of farmers in developing countries. It has a domino effect," agrees Steve Wilson

"But Australia, which does not regulate GMO use in animal feed, approved its first GM food crop, canola, in July. Commercial GM crops are blocked by short-term bans by state governments." opposes Steve Hughes

"Yeah, India approved three varieties of gm cotton in 2002 for commercial production and is conducting field trials for several crops including mustard, rice, potatoes and cauliflower." adds Christina

"The biotech industry insists that, with crops genetically altered to resist disease and insects, much of this can be used to help feed hungry people in the world's poorest countries." angers Christina

Steve Wilson- "China, a major producer of traditional and biotech crops such as cotton and tomato, may now be hesitating on how to proceed with its GM capability as a result of the EU's policies, industry observers say. Some provinces want to remain GM-free." agrees the Porcupine Tree frontman

"Last June, Zambia's government rejected thousands of tons of GM maize, while millions of its people faced food shortages. So what is the benefit of growing a crop that nobody will proggin eat" adds Stu Nicholson

"Biotech companies say EU policy is to blame for some Third World reluctance to accept GM grain for fear that GM material might appear in those countries' own exports to Europe. " argues Marillion's Mark Kelly

Karl - "The key question now is whether to grow large-scale GM food crops, particularly soybeans. As the world's leading soy importer, China's decisions will have an immediate impact on exporters such as Brazil, where China was the top buyer in 2003." he concludes 

Steve Hughes - "When it comes to soy imports, they (China) have been playing the GM card a couple of times ... and we've also seen a genuine concern on some of the biosafety issues," 

 "There is now debate over how much of its apparent advantage the GM variety would keep when compared with unmodified fields treated with atrazine's less virulent replacements. " adds Christina

"Yeah, more damning than that is the fact that the tests themselves were very limited in scope." laughs Fish

John Beck -"They did not try to see whether genes could flow from GM plants to other crops, or whether their pollen would spread, or what effect they might have on soil organisms. All they tested was the impact on food sources for wildlife. " he points out

"And even then the tests did not reveal anything about the nature of genetic modification itself. They showed simply the impact of treating particular crops with specific pesticides in carefully monitored conditions. " insists the Stu Nichollson.

"They relied on the experience of other countries which have found no evidence of harm. That allows their opponents to say absence of evidence is far from evidence of absence." adds Karl Groom

Steve Wilson -"yeah, and recent reports from the Philippines of people living near GM crops suffering respiratory problems, although they remain unconfirmed, will fuel the fears of GM technology. "

"The government did want to build up a persuasive case for GMs. But some commentators will argue its efforts have been lacklustre, leaving many questions unanswered." points out Steve Hughes.

Charlie O'Mara's Food Facts

"There may still be many arguments in favour of GM technology. What is not clear is that it should be used in the UK, where space is limited and the chance of gene-spread is higher than in, say, North America. 
Even there, low-level contamination of ordinary crops is reported to be widespread. Its proponents say gene-spread will happen but will not matter. 

Britain has in recent years developed a distrust of science; we have become risk-averse, not altogether without reason (remember mad cow disease?). And many people, judging by the opinion polls, believe science still has some way to go to prove GMs are risk-free. "

For or Against?