Farmers don't see technology benefits

Grocer, Nov 3, 2007 by Peter Lundgren

SIR; I have read with interest two recent articles in The Grocer, which give the impression that GM varieties are favoured by UK farmers and that farmers will benefit from adopting these traits ('Has GM's time finally come?, The Grocer, 27 October, p30).

Technology is generally accepted to have benefited farming and food production but the troth is farmers like myself have seen these developments come and go - often with little to show for the hype.

There is little to indicate that GM traits will ever address the real issues farmers face or address the problems of food shortages. So much emphasis is being placed on GM solutions that the opportunity to address the same issues using cultural or mechanical solutions is being overlooked.

Not only has GM failed to deliver on its early promise, it has now created a technological vacuum that will take years to address and will require more traditional development techniques to be used.

Peter Lundgren

Lincoln shire farmer and board member of GM Freeze