GM crops? No thanks

Britain delivers overwhelming verdict after unprecedented public opinion exercise

By Michael McCarthy Environment Editor

THE INDEPENDENT

25 September 2003

Translate the following passages (353 words) into Chinese.

The title of the debate was "GM Nation?" But that is precisely what the

British people do not want their country to be, according to the official

report from the national consultation on genetically modified crops and food

presented to the Government yesterday.

The unprecedented test of public opinion, which over six weeks this summer

involved 675 public meetings and elicited more than 36,000 written

responses, revealed a deep hostility to GM technology across the population.

Alongside fears that GM crops and food could be harmful to human health and

the environment, the debate threw up widespread mistrust and suspicion of

the motives of those taking decisions about GM - especially government and

multi-national companies such as Monsanto.

On a whole series of questions GM-hostile majorities were enormous, with 85

per cent saying GM crops would benefit producers not ordinary people, 86 per

cent saying they were unhappy with the idea of eating GM food, 91 per cent

saying they thought GM had potential negative effects on the environment,

and no fewer than 93 per cent of respondents saying they thought GM

technology was driven more by the pursuit of profit than the public

interest. Figures in support of GM were, by contrast, tiny.

Even special focus groups, deliberately selected from people who were

uncommitted one way or another, to tease out the views of the "silent

majority", and whose members were initially prepared to admit the technology

might have benefits, opposed GM technology more the more they learnt about

it, the report discloses.

The extent and the unequivocal nature of the hostility revealed by "GM

Nation?" will represent a substantial political hurdle to those who wish to

bring the technology to Britain as soon as possible - led by Tony Blair and

his Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett, and the giant American and

European agribusiness companies such as Monsanto and Bayer.

Yesterday Mrs Beckett reaffirmed a promise that the Government would

"listen" to the views the debate has highlighted and respond to them

publicly, although she made no such pledge that it would take account of

them in deciding its course of action.