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10/12/2012
Environment Secretary Backs GM Foods
The UK Environment Secretary has openly backed the growing of genetically modified (GM) food.
Owen Paterson cited "environmental benefits" when explaining his decision to back the technology.
He said concerns about the impact on human health were "complete nonsense".
It is thought ministers could relax control on the cultivation of GM crops.
No GM crops have ever been grown commercially in the British countryside, but small-scale cultivation trials have recently been allowed to take place.
Mr Paterson was speaking to the Daily Telegraph.
He said: "Emphatically we should be looking at GM…I'm very clear it would be a good thing.
"The trouble is all this stuff about Frankenstein foods and putting poisons in foods.
"There are real benefits, and what you've got to do is sell the real environmental benefits."
It is argued that GM food can increase crop yield and avoid the need for pesticides, but many campaigners opposed the introduction of the food to the UK in the 1990s.
Mr Paterson said: "There's about 160m hectares of GM being grown around the world.
"There isn't a single piece of meat being served [in a typical London restaurant] where a bullock hasn't eaten some GM feed.”
The comments follow a recent consultation by the British government on new "agri tech" measures to boost British farming.
Mr Paterson told the Telegraph he was confident David Cameron would find an "appropriate moment" to back GM food.
"I'm very clear it would be a good thing," he said. "So you'd discuss it within government, you'd discuss it at a European level and you'd need to persuade the public."
(IT)
Owen Paterson cited "environmental benefits" when explaining his decision to back the technology.
He said concerns about the impact on human health were "complete nonsense".
It is thought ministers could relax control on the cultivation of GM crops.
No GM crops have ever been grown commercially in the British countryside, but small-scale cultivation trials have recently been allowed to take place.
Mr Paterson was speaking to the Daily Telegraph.
He said: "Emphatically we should be looking at GM…I'm very clear it would be a good thing.
"The trouble is all this stuff about Frankenstein foods and putting poisons in foods.
"There are real benefits, and what you've got to do is sell the real environmental benefits."
It is argued that GM food can increase crop yield and avoid the need for pesticides, but many campaigners opposed the introduction of the food to the UK in the 1990s.
Mr Paterson said: "There's about 160m hectares of GM being grown around the world.
"There isn't a single piece of meat being served [in a typical London restaurant] where a bullock hasn't eaten some GM feed.”
The comments follow a recent consultation by the British government on new "agri tech" measures to boost British farming.
Mr Paterson told the Telegraph he was confident David Cameron would find an "appropriate moment" to back GM food.
"I'm very clear it would be a good thing," he said. "So you'd discuss it within government, you'd discuss it at a European level and you'd need to persuade the public."
(IT)
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02 September 2004
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19 May 2003
Meacher's GM crops comments draws fire
Friends of the Earth has reacted angrily today to comments made by Environment Minister Michael Meacher suggesting that the government could allow GM crops to be grown commercially in the UK – without the public getting a say on the issue.
Meacher's GM crops comments draws fire
Friends of the Earth has reacted angrily today to comments made by Environment Minister Michael Meacher suggesting that the government could allow GM crops to be grown commercially in the UK – without the public getting a say on the issue.
09 March 2004
Commercial planting of GM maize gets go ahead
The government has said today that it has agreed "in principle" to the commercial cultivation of GM herbicide-tolerant maize. Mrs Beckett said she did not anticipate any commercial cultivation of GM maize "before spring 2005 at the earliest".
Commercial planting of GM maize gets go ahead
The government has said today that it has agreed "in principle" to the commercial cultivation of GM herbicide-tolerant maize. Mrs Beckett said she did not anticipate any commercial cultivation of GM maize "before spring 2005 at the earliest".
11 July 2003
Report finds GM crops will offer 'limited' economic benefit
A report that sets out the overall costs and uses of commercial GM crops has found that there will be "limited" economic benefit for the UK. The Strategy Unit report, published today, examines crops that are currently available and looked at possible developments over the next 10-15 years.
Report finds GM crops will offer 'limited' economic benefit
A report that sets out the overall costs and uses of commercial GM crops has found that there will be "limited" economic benefit for the UK. The Strategy Unit report, published today, examines crops that are currently available and looked at possible developments over the next 10-15 years.
14 November 2012
Health Agency Calls For 'Unhealthy Food' Tax
A leading health agency, which is part-funded by the Department of Health, has called on the government to put extra tax on unhealthy foods.
Health Agency Calls For 'Unhealthy Food' Tax
A leading health agency, which is part-funded by the Department of Health, has called on the government to put extra tax on unhealthy foods.
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