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Verdict of the Week
 Prince Charles and GM Farming
Prince Charles has been fiercely criticised by the Government and widely condemned by the press and media for his contraversial comments warning of an 'environmental disaster' if the Government continue to drive ahead with their plans for more Genetically Modified farming. He feels that it is a cynical attempt by the biotech industry to use Third World hunger as an excuse to push forward the advancement of GM crops.
Charles says the industrialisation of farming, which includes GM, is leeching the soil of nutrients, polluting rivers and pushing small businesses, producers and small farmers out of business.
The eCourt verdict is that Prince Charles was correct to speak out on this issue. He is able to draw attention to something that many of us are worried about but are unable to voice. To accuse him of elitism and protectionism as he is in a business that may be affected by GM produce does not add up. It is easy to forget that, despite a priveleged upbringing, Prince Charles is very proud of his country and works tirelessly and thanklessly for it. He is not trying to prevent the Third World from finding a solution to their hunger, he is merely asking the Government to exercise caution in the country he loves and not permit GM crops to grow alongside organic produce in the British countryside. We have seen that GM crops do infect and cross pollinate uncontrollably with neighbouring foods, even if the fields are many miles apart. Of course genetically mofified crops should be used to grow food in deserts where food could not be grown before, although there is serious doubt whether GM crops can help the developing world out of the current food crisis. All Prince Charles was saying was that we should not put Britains crops at risk do experiment with it. Prince Charles's views echo the findings of Professor Watson of eth Geolgical Commisiiobn who said: 'the industrialisation of farming has failed to produce the food needed by the world. We are putting food that appears cheap on our tables but it is food that is not always healthy and that costs us dearly in terms of water, soil and the biological diversity on which our futures depend.' Back
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