GM Protest At Herts Research Centre

27 May 2012, 08:00

A group of tax-payer funded researchers have taken to appearing on You Tube to appeal directly to a group of anti-GM protestors.

"Take Back The Flour" don't believe claims genetically modifying wheat crops will need fewer pesticides in future, will cross-contaminate other non-GM crops if planted widely, and threatens the income of farmers up and down the country.

One of the Rothampsted Science Centre researchers appearing on You Tube appealing for debate and not destruction today at fields near Harpenden is Gia Aradottir "We know we cannot stop you taking the action you're planning on taking - but please reconsider before it's too late and before several years worth of work to which we have been devoting our lives, will be destroyed forever."

Gia continued: "As scientists we know we don't have all the answers, but that's why we need to conduct experiments. That's why please we ask you not to destroy them."

We asked the "Take The Flour Back" protestors to speak to us directly bu they have so far not responsed to our requests. However on their website, they do say they would welcome the opportunity to engage with (Rothamsted Research) in a public debate over the forth-coming weeks, so that both sides of the debate have an equal chance to hear and understand each others’ perspectives. To this end we invite you to join us on neutral ground, with a neutral chairperson, for an open exchange of opinions and concerns.

We are pleased (Rothamsted Research) are calling for rigorous evidence-backed discussion and are therefore somewhat bemused to note (Rothamsted Research's) insistence aphid-resistant GM wheat will decrease pesticide use. This often repeated biotech industry claim has been widely discredited.  Findings in the US, Canada and India, show that weeds and predators rapidly develop immunity to GM strategies, resulting in the use of ever increasing amounts of herbicides and pesticides.

You can read more from group HERE and see the video posted by the Scientists below:-