Right Royal row over GM crops

6 June 2000



Right Royal row over GM crops

A RIGHT Royal row is developing over genetically modified crops.

On Monday (5 June) the Duke of Edinburgh spoke out in favour of GM technology, reports The Times.

The Duke claimed the introduction of species such as grey squirrels had done far more damage than GM crops would do.

And, in his response to a lecture at Windsor Castle by Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks, he added that the only difference between selective breeding and GM technology was that the latter is quicker.

The Dukes comments place him at odds with his son, the Prince of Wales, an outspoken opponent of GM experimentation, and strident advocate of organic farming.

However he Duke may find some support from his daughter Princess Anne who this week took issue with her brother in The Grocer magazine

In her capacity as president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, she compared selective breeding with GM manipulation.

However, it was later reported that Princess Anee is considering growing organic crops on her 1,000 acre farm at Gatscombe Park.

Meanwhile, the head of a new independent body advising the government on GM technology criticises ministers handling of the rogue GM seed fiasco.

Malcolm Grant, professor of land economy at Cambridge University, will chair the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC).

AEBC is launched weeks after 600 farmers discovered they unwittingly sowed oilseed rape contaminated with GM seed provided in error by seed supplier Advanta UK.

Farm minister Nick Brown was accused of dithering after it emerged that the government had sat on the news for several weeks.

Speaking to The Times, Prof Grant said he would expect to be told immediately if the scenario arose again.

“The episode has not bee spectacularly well-handled,” he said.

In The Guardian two scientists protest at what they see is a culture of fear surrounding GM technology in Britain.

Michael J Rennie, professor of physiology at Dundee University, laments over “our awful school science education”.

He says this makes public opinion vulnerable to scare-mongering.

Prof Rennie calls for science education to be reformed so that school pupils learn to weigh up evidence better.

And Conrad Lichtenstein, professor of microbiology at Queens Mary and Westfield College, University of London, says GM opponents often lack evidence to back their claims.

He says people given a public voice must not use their scientific credentials to make unsupported statements.