Genetically Modified
Food is still not allowed to be grown here in the UK.
However, it is allowed to be imported provided it is stated to be GM Modified etc. on the packaging.
Small scale crop testing of GM planted seeds etc were either
grown in a small field well away from other crops, or grown under plastic covers.
Rothamstead Agricultural Research Establishment has been
(
http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/index.php )
granted permission to conduct open air trials of wheat, genetically modified to be resistant to aphids, to be planted in spring 2012 and 2013.
The crop is modified to secrete a hormonal chemical compound which acts an alarm signal to keep aphids away.....
and attracts aphid predators to the crop.> Aphid predators,? ladybirds ? and spiders ? and? They would be more noticable, ground up with our flour, than aphids.! <
Anyway a lot of people are upset and are going to take some sort of action on 27th of this month.
Their serious concerns are listed below
The genetic modification has been undertaken using two chemically synthesised genes which, the application says, are “not found naturally.” The application states they are, respectively, “similar to that found in peppermint…” and have, ” most similarity to [one] from a cow…” (1a). This is the first synthetic copy of an animal gene used in a GM trial. The scientists do not know whether the plants will produce the desired result and trialling them in the open air carries huge risks of
Cross-contamination•Cross-pollination of neighbouring crops or related wild species.
•Seed spilt at harvest that germinates and contaminates later crops grown in the field.
•Seed spilt around fields and on verges during transport after harvest.
•Mixing of GM and non-GM crops in storage or during distribution. Grain stores or equipment may not be cleaned out properly, or mistakes may be made by operators leading to mixing or errors in labelling.
The application for the trial notes the possibility of seeds being carried off site by wild birds and small mammals, and pollen being carried away by the wind (paragraph 6 in Part A of the application). GM traits from oilseed rape have already cross contaminated with a common weed during the Farm Scale Evaluations from 2000-2003. (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology 2005) Once this trait is released into the open there is no way to get it back.
The UK public have objected to GM soya (a largely invisible ingredient of processed foods) from the late 90s onwards, so they are unlikely to want to eat bread made with GM wheat given the importance of bread in the UK diet. GM ingredient bans remain in place by all supermarkets and UK food stores 14 years after the first ban by Iceland.
Recent experiments in Canada found the GM Bt toxin in the blood and umbilical cords of 90% of pregnant women tested.
(could that be botulin as per Botox used by the cosmetic industry? Anyone know?)
Monsanto abandoned GM wheat research in the EU in 2004 (BBC 2004). More recently sources in Canada (Canadian National Research Council 2011) and Australia (ABC 2011) report that there is significant opposition to restarting GM wheat development. The countries they export to have said they won’t buy it and farmers are afraid that they will lose their industry
If you wish to read more you will have to access the URL
I have found ...below.http://taketheflourback.org/the-wheat-trial/
