Researchers protest at GM crop debate

More than 100 scientists signed a letter to the British prime minister, Tony Blair, last month complaining about the way the debate on GM crops was handled. The topic has been hitting the headlines in the UK and Europe as researchers, protesters, industry and governments have been battling to find a way forward. But many researchers now believe that their corner has been unfairly treated. Public meetings had been hijacked by anti-GM groups and 'misleading' reports in the press had not been corrected, they complained. The same method of public consultation could put other technologies at risk of 'prejudice and procrastination'. The letter was triggered by the outcome of an elaborate exercise in consultation which seemed – in the eyes of some scientists – simply to widen the gap between researchers and protesters. This was followed by a report of several farm scale evaluations set up in 1999 which suggested that genetically modified rape and beet had turned out to be 'worse' for wildlife than conventional varieties. What many researchers point out is that the trials were more a test of different pesticide regimes between conventional and GM varieties rather than a direct assessment of GM technology. But this verdict was greeted with delight by the GM protesters, although the government's own expert advisory committee has yet to report on the evidence. Plant scientist Derek Burke, one of the signatories, told Radio 4's Today programme: " We want arguments based on evidence and what we are getting is arguments based on opinion. We are saying to Tony Blair loud and clear that A group of scientists has written to the British prime minister to complain about the government's handling of the assessment and public debate about the potential introduction of genetically modified crops into the country. Nigel Williams reports. Trail travails: Many researchers believe the British government has failed in its approach to the assessment of introduction of GM crops. A trial of genetically modified maize, with one field shown here, was the only crop to show that the changed pesticide regime might be of benefit to the other field flora and fauna over conventional crops.