GM through the back door just to please the Yanks.

[Patrick]

Pretty Pissed off at this - Of course thanks to the Wonderful Ms Spielman we will go along with this unquestionably. In a double bonus the Tories will be able to blame the EU when it all goes horribly wrong.

Genetically modified crops will be allowed to enter the UK food chain without the need for regulatory clearance for the first time under controversial plans expected to be approved this week.

The Observer understands that the UK intends to back EU plans permitting the importing of animal feed containing traces of unauthorised GM crops in a move that has alarmed environmental groups.

Importing animal feed containing GM feed must at present be authorised by European regulators. But a vote on Tuesday in favour of the scheme put forward by the EU's standing committee on the food chain and animal health would overturn the EU's "zero tolerance" policy towards the import of unauthorised GM crops.

The move would mark a significant victory for the GM lobby, which has pushed for a relaxation of the blanket ban for years.Environmental groups claim the GM industry wants to use the presence of unauthorised organisms in animal feed as part of a wider strategy to promote its technology.

[Alpha Hooligan]

We've been selectively modifying crops since farming began, this is just another step in that direction.

Simply don't understand the alarmist reaction to GM foods, seems a bit superstitious to me. I'm personally looking forward to vat grown sunday roasts and stuff.


AH

[aubrey]

I don't have anything against GM foods, especially. The idea that firms can patent certain strains that they did not even develop is fairly alarming, though.

And the way GM is being introduced is sneaky - "Don't worry, GM food can not get into the food chain - oh shit, sorry - how were we to know that seeds and pollen could jump over the gap we insisted on at the edge of fields?" as if plants had never done that before.


I don't mind the idea of a Chicken Little (as in The Space Merchants) but not the idea of breeding cloned animals: just for the animals' sake, not ours.

[everso]

Am I the only one who thinks that GM means Grant Maintained?

[Patrick]

Feb 6, 2011 19:08:40 GMT everso said:

Am I the only one who thinks that GM means Grant Maintained?

;D

Alph. Sure they've been altering things for years - but this time it's all about the control the big chemical companies can have over the food supply. When farmers buy seeds from them, they are then tied in and can't do or go anywhere else. Soon enough they'll have control over every point in the Food Chain and will control prices and control (effectively) what we eat? The very fact that this legislation is being pushed through, is not down to democracy, it's due to "Big Money Chemico's" paying the MP's or in this case the "MEP's" to get the legislation made law. The whole thing is rotten from the top down!

In addition, we are already seeing examples of the death of some insects thanks to the neutralising of cereal crops, and with the loss of insect species you are pulling out the bottom block of the very food chain of life and existence. GM crops are not for the benefit of the people - it's for the benefit of some fat cat chemical company bosses. We will ultimately be the poorer for it.

[swl]

It's not black & white. As Pat says, farmers are sold GM seeds that produce sterile crops so instead of buying one bag of seeds, growing a crop and keeping some seeds from the harvest for next year, farmers have to keep going back to the suppliers for more seeds.

Against that we have to be aware that a growing world population and less land available for cultivation means we simply have to develop more productive crops which can grow in a wider range of climates.

The sterile crops was, if I recall correctly, a US law introduced to stop the spread of "Frankenstein" crops, when people were worried that disease and pest-resistant crops would over-run the world and destroy natural flora. Imho, this law needs to be relaxed and the GM companies forced to supply fertile crops.

Without GM crops, chances are the staple diet of the civilised world - beefs, bacons, pigs etc will simply become too expensive.

So, for the sake of bacon butties, bring on the GM

[aubrey]

Not my staple diet.