GM Crops

We support the use of GM technology in principle, when properly regulated and tested case-by-case. We feel that the cultivation of certain GM crops in the UK could have a positive impact on the environment and that farmers should have the opportunity to use this technology if they wish to do so.

We believe that it is important to assess new crops carefully for safety, and to consider issues of crop separation and cultivation methods, such as use of herbicides, case-by-case. It is necessary to consider all decisions in the light of the best scientific evidence available.

We consider that the responsibility for infringements of GM regulations lies primarily with the farmer and that liability measures should be in place.

We understand that there is considerable public unease surrounding the issue of GM, and believe that the government should do everything possible to allay this unease by seeking to understand and address public concerns, maintaining effective communication with the public and making sure that sufficient regulations are in place and enforced.

Many concerns about the impact of GM technology, such as the dominance of multinational corporations, industrialisation of food production and the environmental consequences of large monocultures, are issues that affect modern agriculture in general and should be considered separately from the use of GM crops per se.

For more information on this issue visit our GM Crop page.