Europe divided on GM

Genetically modified crops are cause for debate in Europe; but in the UK field trials push ahead Over the last two decades, the perception of GM crops has changed dramatically. Once maligned, they are now seen to have an important role in future global food security. But that hasn’t stopped France’s lower House of Parliament, the National Assembly banning the cultivation of GM maize developed by Monsanto. The company’s insect repellent MON810 maize crop – the only GM crop allowed for cultivation in the UK – is the target of the Assembly’s latest ban. They’ve made several attempts to ban farming of the crop and it seems their latest efforts have been successful as the Senate (French Upper House of Parliament) has given final approval to the sanction, which also includes any strain adopted by the EU in the future. This is despite opposition from farmers and seed firms, who have previously challenged the decree in the highest court in France, and won. This time, however, the court rejected their plea to overturn the ban, and any fields sown with the MON810 seed prior to March will be destroyed. But why is the National Assembly choosing to pursue this ban? “It is essential today to renew a widely shared desire to maintain the French ban,” Jean-Marie Le Guen, minister in charge of relations with parliament, told the National Assembly. “This bill strengthens the decree passed last March by preventing the immediate cultivation of GMO and extending their reach to all transgenic maize varieties.” The French Government appear to have bowed to public suspicion and protests from environmentalists, even though the crop has been proven to be safe to humans and animals. Bodies including the World Health Organization and the Royal Society have examined all the evidence and say the crop is safe to eat – no riskier than consuming crops altered through plant breeding. It’s not just France where genetically modified crops are under debate. In February, EU countries failed to agree on whether or not to approve GM maize Pioneer 1507, developed by DuPont and Dow Chemical.  Federal states in Germany who oppose GMO (genetically modified organisms) want the national government to seek an opt-out clause for EU states, allowing them to ban GM crops. This measure is gaining increasing support and Greece, who currently hold the rotating EU Presidency, are working on a compromise where this might be possible. In the UK, the future of GM looks much rosier. Defra have recently approved a field trial of GM Camelina satina plants at Rothamsted Research. The Camelina – an oilseed crop – has been engineered to accumulate omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) in their seeds. These fatty acids are beneficial for human health, but our primary source is marine fish, which accumulate the fatty acids through their diet. Over 70% of all fish oil harvested each year is consumed by the aquaculture sector, and to ensure the production practices remains sustainable, the industry is seeking new sources of fatty acids – one way is to engineer a crop plant with the capacity to synthesis these acids in seeds. The trial will test whether the plants are able to make significant quantities of the fatty acids in their seeds in the field. The plants have been shown to grow well and produce oils in the laboratory and in glass houses, and this field test is the next logical stage in the research project. But it’s not as easy as picking a plot and planting away. Rothamsted Research had to jump through many hoops before their trial could become a reality – including a 60 day public consultation – and will still be subject to inspection throughout. Genetically modified crops like this will undoubtedly have a role to play in the future of global food security – farmers are expected to produce more, with fewer resources and fewer pesticides to rely on. It is important that scientists, like those at Rothamsted Research, continue to selectively modify food crops in ways that are more beneficial – and quicker – than the natural breeding process. It’s also important that information about the research is disseminated in a beneficial way. The Rothamsted team are a perfect example of responsible researchers promoting openness, and actively attempting to educate the general public and opposition groups about the benefits and potential of their research. These actions may prevent countries from opting-out of growing GM crops, but I’m sure many still will, and that is their decision – perhaps one that will be beneficial to the UK. Hopefully scientists will be drawn to the country as their work will be permissible within our research landscape.