Interesting for me to watch the GM debate in the UK.
DEFRA is the Department of Environment, Farming
and Rural Affairs - they deem it no longer politically
correct to have a Department of Agriculture. Recently
the DEFRA minister came out pushing for introduction
of GM crops after a delegation of lobbyists from
Monsanto etc. Looks like some of the other politicians
have a good handle on the realities of GM, particularly
in the concluding paragraph.
Story from The Scottish Farmer magazine.
"DEFRA MINISTER Owen Paterson has come under
fierce attack over his support for genetically modified
crops – from within the ranks of his own political
party.
Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith accused Mr
Paterson of making 'nonsensical' claims about the
benefits of GM technology, and described the Defra
chief as 'a puppet' of the industry who does not
understand the dangers GM organisms pose.
Speaking to the national press, Mr Goldsmith slated
Mr Paterson's recent speech to formally launch his
campaign to grow GM crops in Britain.
"Any half-way decent GM enthusiast with a scientific
background would have blushed during much of the
speech Owen Paterson made," said Mr Goldsmith.
"You have to wonder about the government's gung-
ho attitude to GM – you can't stuff pollen back into a
tin," he said.
In particular, Mr Goldsmith questioned the section of
Mr Paterson's speech in which he implied that seven
million children in the developing world had died or
gone blind in the past 15 years because the
development of a rice variety modified to boost its
Vitamin A content had been thwarted by anti-GM
campaigners.
"No serious GM campaigner would ever make those
claims for which there is no factual basis at all," he
said. "It undermines his credibility on this issue and
makes the government look very silly. If you want to
solve vitamin deficiency there are many cheaper ways
to do it.
"I think he's falling into a trap over GM and I don't
think he understands the issue. He's swallowed the
industry line hook, line and sinker without talking to
anyone with a different view. When designing policy
that's a dangerous thing and I'm concerned big
business is framing the debate for the government.
"The story so far suggests that GM is predominantly
about the industry getting greater control over the
food chain, rather than alleviating poverty or
environmental concerns," he added."
DEFRA is the Department of Environment, Farming
and Rural Affairs - they deem it no longer politically
correct to have a Department of Agriculture. Recently
the DEFRA minister came out pushing for introduction
of GM crops after a delegation of lobbyists from
Monsanto etc. Looks like some of the other politicians
have a good handle on the realities of GM, particularly
in the concluding paragraph.
Story from The Scottish Farmer magazine.
"DEFRA MINISTER Owen Paterson has come under
fierce attack over his support for genetically modified
crops – from within the ranks of his own political
party.
Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith accused Mr
Paterson of making 'nonsensical' claims about the
benefits of GM technology, and described the Defra
chief as 'a puppet' of the industry who does not
understand the dangers GM organisms pose.
Speaking to the national press, Mr Goldsmith slated
Mr Paterson's recent speech to formally launch his
campaign to grow GM crops in Britain.
"Any half-way decent GM enthusiast with a scientific
background would have blushed during much of the
speech Owen Paterson made," said Mr Goldsmith.
"You have to wonder about the government's gung-
ho attitude to GM – you can't stuff pollen back into a
tin," he said.
In particular, Mr Goldsmith questioned the section of
Mr Paterson's speech in which he implied that seven
million children in the developing world had died or
gone blind in the past 15 years because the
development of a rice variety modified to boost its
Vitamin A content had been thwarted by anti-GM
campaigners.
"No serious GM campaigner would ever make those
claims for which there is no factual basis at all," he
said. "It undermines his credibility on this issue and
makes the government look very silly. If you want to
solve vitamin deficiency there are many cheaper ways
to do it.
"I think he's falling into a trap over GM and I don't
think he understands the issue. He's swallowed the
industry line hook, line and sinker without talking to
anyone with a different view. When designing policy
that's a dangerous thing and I'm concerned big
business is framing the debate for the government.
"The story so far suggests that GM is predominantly
about the industry getting greater control over the
food chain, rather than alleviating poverty or
environmental concerns," he added."