GM potato trials will go ahead despite location withdrawal

On-farm trials of genetically modified potatoes will go ahead in 2007 despite the withdrawal of the proposed site near Borrowash in Derbyshire.

The farm owner had agreed to host the trial of chemical company BASF’s late blight resistant potatoes but he pulled out saying that he feared for his personal security.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said the force was aware that the intense publicity surrounding the GM trial had made the farmer concerned about his family’s safety.

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A Defeat for Freedom and Reason

I am increasingly convinced that an epic struggle is underway between the forces of reason and those of ignorance, between progress and fear. That’s a pretty bold claim, and includes language usually reserved for Channel 4 adverts for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the fact remains that science and progress are under threat from a vocal and sometimes criminal minority.

Yesterday a Derbyshire farmer withdrew from a trial of genetically modified potatoes due to take place next year on the grounds that he fears for his personal safety. He claims to have received threatening phone calls. This reminds me of the incident in 2001 when protesters (including environmentalist and journalist George Monbiot) destroyed GM crop-trial in Flintshire, only two of whom were tried and given what were cursory fines. It is also linked to other anti-scientific movements.

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Cultivarán papas transgénicas

En 2007 se plantará el primer cultivo de papas Amflora, que fueron genéticamente modificadas para servir como materia prima para la producción de papeles y adhesivos y no para el consumo humano, pues a diferencia de estas últimas, sólo contienen amilopectina (un sacárido) y carecen de amilosa (un polisacárido).

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Bad Food Britain

Genetically-engineered cows and frozen meat from Brazil. And you thought the future of Bad Food Britain was a Big Mac... Award-winning food expert Joanna Blythman considers the bleak realities.

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Parlamento Andino declara a la región libre de papa transgénica

En el seno de la Comisión Segunda del Parlamento, se aceptó por unanimidad un proyecto de decisión para declarar a la región andina libre de papa transgénica. La decisión se tomó por ser esta región el centro de origen de la papa.

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Farmer quits GM potato experiment

Plans to grow genetically modified potatoes in Derbyshire have been abandoned because a farmer fears for his own safety.

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What Does GM Potatoes Mean for Future Blight Control?

If you asked consumers whether they would like to buy potatoes which hadn't been sprayed eight to 10 times for potato blight, one would assume most would be in favour. Of course, ask them if they wanted to eat genetically-modified spuds and the answer might be very different.

Commercially that's what BASF will have to work hard to overcome in the next eight to 10 years - it is going to be that long before its blight-resistant GM potatoes are likely to be launched.

Proving the technical performance looks like it should be much more straightforward. Initial trials conducted in Sweden in the past two years, and in Germany and Holland last year, have shown a very high level of blight resistance, according to Andy Beadle, BASF project manager. "In the trials I've seen we haven't needed to spray the potatoes for blight after we've inoculated with the disease."

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