Podcast: British scientist defends field trials of high-yield GMO wheat

a farmer tends to a wheat farm in the el dakahlia governorate north of cairo egypt february reutersmohamed abd el ghany e

[Editor’s note: Listen to the full interview here.]

Genetically modified crops may be in regular use by farmers in the United States, but introducing the food to Europe has provoked opposition, notably from campaigners who argue it is a danger to human health. GM crops are banned in France and Germany.

Opponents are worried about the threat to traditional seeds, a lack of long-term impact studies and fears about the influence of multi-national food businesses.

Regulators in Europe are trying to convince consumers that GM crops are safe and the UK has decided to allow a strain of genetically modified wheat to be grown in a field trial this year. Scientists have engineered the plant to make better use of sunlight, which has boosted the crop yield by 40% in greenhouse trials.

So is the UK moving closer to encouraging farmers to grow GM crops?

We hear from Dr Malcolm Hawkesford, at Rothamsted Research, the company that has developed the wheat and Liz O’Neill, a director of GM Freeze, which campaigns against genetically modified crops.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Is genetically modified wheat safe?

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}
screenshot at  pm

Are pesticide residues on food something to worry about?

In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring drew attention to pesticides and their possible dangers to humans, birds, mammals and the ...
glp menu logo outlined

Newsletter Subscription

* indicates required
Email Lists
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.