Opinion published in The Land, Thursday, July 28, 2011, p24.
AS AN agricultural scientist (ex-CSIRO) and consumer, I am deeply concerned about the lack of critical questioning arising from the genetically modified (GM) GM wheat debate.
Several correspondents in The Land say GM wheat will give better crops and healthier products, and that GMs have not caused health issues. But you don’t know what you don’t monitor and measure.
Worldwide there are no multiple-generation animal feeding studies and there is no surveillance of impacts on human health.
Unauthorised studies show animal health and fertility problems after the first generation.
We don’t need GM wheat as problems can be solved by working on their causes.
For human health switch to wholemeal bread and eat less over-processed food.
GM wheat will allow us to keep eating a less unhealthy white bread.
Many innovative farmers have demonstrated improved quantity and quality of produce by increasing soil fertility through activating soil biology and improving soil carbon.
This is in association with cutting the use of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals.
During the long drought biological farmers had higher yields than neighbours, so there’s no need for drought-tolerant GM wheat.
Examples of success in biological farming are regularly reported in The Land. Science institutions and GRDC still tend to ignore it and continue to waste valuable research and development funds on GM research.
Recent UN reports about feeding the world support biological farming and reject GM.
DR MAARTEN STAPPER,
BioLogic AgFood,
Holder, ACT.