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Reaction to Prof King's speech: GM crops are not needed to beat climate and population challenges

Nov 27 2007

GM crops are not needed to deal with growing populations and climate change, Friends of the Earth said today. The environmental campaign group was responding to comments by the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, who said today that he believes there is a moral case for the UK and the rest of Europe to grow GM crops. He told the BBC this morning that GM crops will be essential to deal with an ever-growing population and diminishing water supplies.

Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:

"Despite 30 years of research, over ten years of commercialisation, and massive financial support from the UK Government, GM crops have failed to deliver the sustainable solutions that are urgently needed. GM crops often need more pesticides, provide lower yields and cause widespread contamination. The main benefits they have brought are to the handful of multinational companies who have gained an increased control of the food system.

"The vast majority of GM crops are grown in monocultures and are used to feed animals, not people. Intensive meat and livestock farming is itself a significant contributor to climate change and biodiversity loss. We need to urgently tackle the environmental challenges we face. This requires an investment in worldwide sustainable farming methods which meet local environmental and social needs, a reduction in global meat and livestock production and a freeze on the rush to develop agrofuels."

An official review into last year's GM food scandal where unlicensed GM rice was illegally imported into the UK and sold to British consumers, is to be held by the Food Standards Agency on Thursday. Friends of the Earth campaigners will attend and are available for comment.

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