• Question: In your opinion, are GM (Genetically Modified) crops a good or bad idea? And why?

    Asked by laurenmahonex to Ben, Dave, Ed, Sam, Susana on 22 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Benjamin Hall

      Benjamin Hall answered on 22 Jun 2013:

      They’re a good idea.

      Firstly, we need to talk about crops that humans use for food. We’ve been modifying crops for thousands of years, since agriculture started. If you look at the wild ancestor of maize (sweetcorn), which is a plant called teosinte, you’ll see how much humans have already altered our food supply. Cabbage, sprouts, brocolli and cauliflower are all the same species but humans have bred them to look so different. All GM does is speeds up this process and allows us much finer control over what we do to plants.

      The benefits of them could be immense. Imagine crops that we never had to apply fungicides or pesticides to? Imagine never having to waste fossil fuel on producing fertiliser and applying it to crops? Imagine crops that could grow with very little water, meaning we have more water to give to people that live in dry regions?

      GM is a great technology with the potential to do great things for the world and the public need to stop being scared of it. GM crops are grown all over the world and farmers are deciding to grow them ever day in China, India and Brazil. We, in the UK and Europe, need to wake up and follow them.

    • Photo: David Briggs

      David Briggs answered on 23 Jun 2013:

      I think they are a good idea.

      At the moment, there are many many people in the world who are staving – anything that science can do to help farmers make more food for these people has got to be a good thing.

      Many of the worries that people have about GM crops are unfounded – many GM crops are designed to be infertile so that they cannot reproduce. Animals eating GM crops aren’t going to magically absorb any new genetic material jubt by eating them – I had chicken for tea – I ate chicken DNA. I don’t have wings (yet).

    • Photo: Sam Horrell

      Sam Horrell answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Definitely a good idea, if we have the technology there is no sense in not using it. That being said it is a very powerful technique and introducing new species to the environment may have unforseen effects down the line so we have to be careful and really think it through. With great power comes great responsibility.

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