GMOs

This just in:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/benn-gives-goahead-for-new-gm-potato-trial-825926.html

Wow!

GMOs are a big issue. Mainly because of the combination of huge potential benefits and huge (but generally unknown) threats. And now, at least on a limited, experimental basis, the UK is opening the door to GMs, if just a crack. Groundbreaking, against the backdrop of UK/EU culture.

The benefits of GMs are plethoric in scope: Imagine eradicating of the effect of pests! Imagine elimination of diseases such as sugar ends, hollow heart, net necrosis, nematodes! Picture potatoes that grow to exactly the same length and diameter! Dream of square potatoes where nubbins and slivers from cutting are a thing of the past! Am I stretching the "possible"? Of course! Is some or most of this actually within our grasp? I think so!

The potential economic benefits are staggering. Add to that the environmental benefits of less pesticide and herbicide use, and even the "green"-est among us will stop to reconsider GMO use.

The downsides? Really, they lie in the unknown, the ultimate foundation of all that we fear. The "what if's". What is GMOs somehow cause cancer? What if GMOs somehow weaken our immune system? What if GMOs stunt our growth (if they do, I'm feeding some to my 6' tall 13-year-old son!)? What if they cause strange cystic growth? What if....

This is not to downplay the seriousness of these questions. We need answers, and scientists must step up to reassure us that they have done their homework to demonstrate whether these fears are grounded in reality or just a figment of our imaginations.

Until they do, we will watch the proceedings from the UK with great interest.

Tim

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