Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:43 am
My main concern over GM, particularly in this country is the possibility of cross pollination with other crops. They are inserting genes from other plants and animals contained in bacteria which attaches to the natural plant cells. They have little or no control of this contaminating other crops, particularly the brassica family and also other crops that are wind or bee pollinated.
I can see that GM potatoes should be a safer crop to control, and know there have been few if any health problems reported from eating GM crops, although there was something a couple of years ago about rats that had been fed on a GM food, can't remember whether it was potatoes or maize, that died.
I feel that Britain in particular is too small a country to isolate GM trials and crops. If in the future after much stringent testing in countries where they have enough space to prevent and control any cross contamination with natural crops, that it is shown to be a useful and safe thing to do, that it does not contaminate other plants, or harm insects and wildlife, then I would not have a problem with it, but at the moment everything points to there being no safe way to stop it contaminating other crops or having a damaging effect on bees and other insects. A huge disaster could be created by the crops in which they have insterted the "terminator" gene in particular, crossing with anything else as the seed would be unviable the following year and people would be totally dependent on buying new seed from the chemical companies every year.
When we mess about with nature we often come a cropper. Look what happened when farmers fed herbivores on animal derived food products.
There needs to be much more testing by government scientists totally independently from the people wanting to sell it, but as I say - not in our little country. There is too much risk to wildlife and naturally grown crops.
I can see that GM potatoes should be a safer crop to control, and know there have been few if any health problems reported from eating GM crops, although there was something a couple of years ago about rats that had been fed on a GM food, can't remember whether it was potatoes or maize, that died.
I feel that Britain in particular is too small a country to isolate GM trials and crops. If in the future after much stringent testing in countries where they have enough space to prevent and control any cross contamination with natural crops, that it is shown to be a useful and safe thing to do, that it does not contaminate other plants, or harm insects and wildlife, then I would not have a problem with it, but at the moment everything points to there being no safe way to stop it contaminating other crops or having a damaging effect on bees and other insects. A huge disaster could be created by the crops in which they have insterted the "terminator" gene in particular, crossing with anything else as the seed would be unviable the following year and people would be totally dependent on buying new seed from the chemical companies every year.
When we mess about with nature we often come a cropper. Look what happened when farmers fed herbivores on animal derived food products.
There needs to be much more testing by government scientists totally independently from the people wanting to sell it, but as I say - not in our little country. There is too much risk to wildlife and naturally grown crops.