The Chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has been questioned over the amount of funding the council’s latest public funding grant will be spent on researching controversial genetically modified crops. Professor Douglas Kell was challenged on BBC Radio over how much of the £250 million funding announced for research into agriculture and biosciences will go towards supporting GM crops.

The grant money, the allocation of which was announced by the BBSRC yesterday, will be spent at eight institutes over three years with the aim of supporting research into achieving food security. Professor Kell said research projects would focus on increasing productivity, through yields and nutrition provided by food crops.  

The professor said, “The BBSRC position on GM is that we recognise it is ‘a tool in the toolbox’ for assisting our understanding of biology but in practice only about one per cent of our money is going on genetically modified crop trials.”

He continued, “We don’t have any reason to believe [funding allocations] will be different from what has gone on before on the grounds that the same kinds of experiments are going to need to be done.”

The professor said much of the research will focus on improving understanding of staple crops through genomic research. However, he acknowledged that, although one per cent will go to funding GM research directly, much will form the knowledge base and support such research.

Break-in at GM wheat trial could shut down debate on GM

Although the debate over genetically modified crops has re-emerged in the public domain, thanks largely to the planting of a controversial open-air trial of GM wheat in Hertfordshire, there is a danger that damage done to the trial over the weekend may cause debate on the matter to shut down, as a blanket of disapproval over the break-in risks overshadowing discussions of the crops.

One MP this week aired the unsubstantiated demanded that such research demands public and government support. George Freeman MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Science, offered a fallacy of distraction in a radio interview, stating, as the UK is the world’s number one public funder of agricultural research, there should be wider government and public support for the technology.

The MP said “The GM revolution is driving fundamental change around the world in terms of low-input agriculture, low-carbon agriculture, reduced pesticides and the UK has a part to play in that revolution.”

However, he was challenged for voicing his support for GM research as a politician, as respected research into food security, including the 2008 IAASTD report, seen as the cornerstone of food security research, has frequently played down the roll GM can play in ensuring food security.

Last week, the government’s Environmental Audit Committee, a standing committee examining government wide-ranging policy, criticised the government’s unequivocal support for GM, as a scientific consensus over the technology is has not been reached and public support is lacking.

Labour MP Joan Walley, the committee’s chair, warned against such partisan displays as Mr Freeman gave on Thursday, stating, "Until there is clear public acceptance of GM and it is proven to be beneficial, the Government should not license its commercial use in the UK nor promote its use overseas."

Tweet