Food for Thought

My opinion is that Scotland does not need GM technology. Not at all. Bio-technology will help the farmers, but not the GM kind, at least not until it has been proved safe. Scottish farmers would, however, benefit from knowing the scientific advances made in Thailand in the area of applying bio-technology to fertilizer production in order to increase crop yield and lower costs.

The following isn't meant to be an advert; just one explanation of why GM isn't needed in Scotland.

About 10 years ago a Thai gentleman called Somkiet Panjanapongchai created processes that enabled him to put the micro-organisms, bacteria, fungi, major and minor minerals of fertile soil into two concentrated 100% organic liquid bio-fertilizers (Bio-Plant and Pro-Plant). The scientific advances were the result of applying his 15 years of R&D in creating 100+ bio-products for prawn farm owners. His products created Vietnam's hugely successful tiger prawn industry.

Anway, when a little Bio-Plant is mixed with the chemical fertilizer, in bio-chemical farming farmers can reduce their Urea / NPK / DAP / etc. by 50% and still increase the yield by 10%. The cost savings are over 40%. By spraying Pro-Plant as well, the yield increases 20%, and by adding bio-compost (2 litres make 5 tonnes @ US$12 per litre) the yield increases 30%.

After 2 years the soil returns to fertility and there are many major benefits for the produce. Diseases are eradicated too.

After 5 years Scotland could be 100% organic and producing much more than now and for much less cost. The GM issue would probably then disappear as irrelevant. Why would you need to discuss it if the soil is fertile, farming is 100% organic, yields have never been so high, and diseases caused by chemical fertilizer over-use have gone?

Scottish farmers are unlikely to benefit from the bio-fertilizers, however, because DEFRA's rules are such a pain and the fees so high that we don't market even to the EU. The rest of world on the other hand seems to welcome the chance to halve its imports of harmful chemical fertilzers, and to phase them out.

In short, GM isn't necessary.