OMSCo/Yeo Valley GM Debate

Archived

Friday, 18 July 2003

The GM debate hosted by OMSCo and Yeo Valley Organic took place on July 15th at Lakewood Conference Centre, Blagdon.

On the panel were Tony Combes, Corporate Affairs Director at Monsanto, Prof Vivian Moses, Chairman of the CropGen panel, Peter Melchett, Policy Director at the Soil Association and Nathan Argent of Greenpeace. Each spoke for 15 minutes after which questions were taken from the floor.

The implications for the organic market should GM be introduced was discussed and the issue of whether the two can co-exist resulted in lively debate! Most were left unconvinced that this was feasible, especially as Prof Moses agreed that it was impossible to prevent bees from picking up GM pollen. As has already happened in Canada, this could mark the end of the organic honey market.

A vote was taken before and after the debate and the results were unchanged: in an audience of around 140, four were pro-GM, around seven were undecided and the remainder were anti-GM.

The government has promised to listen to the results of the GM Nation debates – let’s hope they do! Let’s hope too that in the light of the overwhelming consumer opposition the supermarkets continue to hold out against GM products.

Our thanks go to the panel, and to Sue MacGregor who chaired the debate with great skill.