Academic warns of GM zombie animals

28 September 2000



Academic warns of GM ‘zombie’ animals

FARMS could soon be filled with genetically modified “zombie” animals programmed to feel no pain or stress, reports the Daily Mail.

The newspaper says disturbing images of “vegetable animals” was painted by a member of the new Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission.

This was part of “an attempt to raise public awareness of the next GM battlefield”, says the Mail, a long-standing critic of GM crops.

It says regulatory action is needed soon because current experiments will soon be turned into commercial reality.

The commission, set up to provide advice to form the core of legislation, launched a massive consultation exercise to involve the public in GM policy.

Commission member Dr Ben Mepham told the newspaper that it “might become technically possible to produce animal vegetables – highly prolific and oblivious to their physical and mental status”.

• GM adviser voices consumer concern, FWi, 05 June, 2000
• Public to sit on biotech panel, FWi, 28 June, 1999
  
• Daily Mail 28/09/2000 page 1 and 6