Friday 12th March

John Sheard puzzles over the muted response to this week’s go-ahead for GM maize – and points out the hidden dangers that could lead to yet another food tragedy.

QUITE FRANKLY, I was amazed this week by the muted response from normally outspoken bodies to the Government’s limited go-ahead for the commercial planting of genetically modified maize (see News, March 9).

The National Union of Farmer’s gave it a cool welcome but advised its members to “proceed with caution” when it came to planting such crops. In a similar vein, the country Land and Business Association pointed out that land which had grown such maize might lose value at a future sale. Even more surprisingly, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, normally one of the most stern defenders of the environment, chose to lead its response by welcoming the fact that the commercial growing of GM sugar beet and oilseed rape was to be banned.

GM maize: the greatest disaster ever?

Only after congratulating DEFRA Secretary Margaret Beckett on this did the RSPB say the decision to allow maize planting was “premature” and that “the jury was still out” on any future dangers.

Now it is not rocket science to understand why the Government has given the thumbs up to maize, even in a limited way: it has been under extreme pressure from Washington to say Yes because, in his turn, President Bush has also been facing similar demands.

They came from the huge multi-national conglomerates which dominate American agriculture and Mid-Western farmers who are already growing GM crops, particularly soya. It is election year in the States and George Junior needs every vote he can get.

So, as usual, our government did its best to please everyone and, in the end, could end up by pleasing none. For – and I hope I am wrong – this could be the most dangerous decision ever made for the British environment and, in the worst case scenario, for the health of its people.

We have been here before, with salmonella infected eggs, listeria poisoned soft cheeses and, of course, cattle and later humans killed by BSE. These came about because we tampered with Mother Nature but, at least, we did so mainly in ignorance: nobody warned us that by feeding the remains of dead sheep to cattle we could be unleashing a killer.

You see, no-one in those days knew of a tiny micro-organism called a prion, smaller than a single bacterium yet resistant to heat, antibiotics and even X-rays. This leapt from the animal feed and began to eat away cattle brains to literally drive them mad. Then it jumped to humans and did the same.

When it comes to GM food, there is a difference. We do know that GM modifications to one species of plant can jump to another: it has happened here in the UK during the field trials which eventually led to this week’s announcement.

What we don’t know, of course, is if they can jump from there to human beings. And no-one has yet seen fit to devise ways of testing for such a possibility, presumably because it would take many years of research, cost lots of money, and stop the American agri-chemical giants cashing in now.

For the attitude is – as it was when Governments were denying the looming threat of BSE to humans – there is no evidence to prove it will happen so let’s go ahead until something does happen and then we can look into it. It’s called closing the stable door …

My suspicion is that the Government is trying to please the Americans but putting the onus on risk-avoidance on the British public. Polls suggest that 90% of the population would not buy GM foods if they were labelled as such – and presumably that will happen.

Unfortunately, that is nonsense. British GM maize will not go into corn flakes or flour or cakes with GM stamped on the box. Most of it will go into cattle feed and we will eat the beef or drink the milk those cattle produce. Will they be safe? No-one knows because, in this case, we shall be the guinea pigs. Bon appetit!