A Dorset Gardner's Concerns about Genetic
Engineering
by Pam Lewis
Blackmore Vale Magazine, High Street
Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
DT10 2LH
published 5th February, 1999
(The Editor welcomes readers'
comments and responses on this article)
I am worried. I feel sure gardeners
will share my concern when they take a cool,
calculated look at the hot topic of genetically engineered crops and consider this; are
our gardens immune from the implication of the release of Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs)?
We have heard farmers, environmentalists, scientists, politicians and food consumers
express their views. As a gardener I decided to investigate. First I contacted
The
Prince of Wales website and was impressed to find sound information and copies of
his speeches which expressed his own strong views opposing genetically modified
crops in agriculture. After reading several more articles, I wrote many personal
letters,
expressing my concern, to gardening and environmental organisations and
individual'experts'.
The genetic modification of plants is not to be confused with the normal process of
evolution and natural gene selection. With genetic engineering, genes are
artificially
inserted into the plant and can be derived from organisms such as bacteria, fungi and
viruses. (There is nothing natural about that sort of tampering). They are designed
to
give the plant unusual traits such as tolerance to herbicide and pest resistance.
This is where the information starts to get confusing. I have read conflicting
reports
as to:
whether this will result in the use of more or less chemicals
whether or not 'superweeds' and 'superbugs' are a possibility
whether the genetically modified crops can cross breed with our native flora
whether predatory (gardeners friends) insects are at risk
Gardeners are pretty sensible people, we live close to nature, see how the ecosystem
works and more and more of us are being persuaded of the benefits of organic
husbandry. We need to have some answers to these particular questions because they
relate to gardening, especially those of us who garden organically.
Environmentalists are worried about the threats to the fragile bio-diversity of our wild
flowers and the creatures that depend on them. It leads one to wonder,
if genetically
modified plants can cross breed with their wild relatives, what about some of our
garden plants? Who is there to us advise us?
America has been growing GM crops for sometime and we are told, although find
difficult to believe, that there has been little reaction from the public,
especially from
gardeners. However, unlike American gardens, most of which are hundreds of miles
away from the American agricultural prairies, British gardens and farming land are,
geographically closely interwoven.
As long as birds fly and other insects and mammalsare free to move from place to place,
as pollen is carried on the wind and as humansand animals use footpaths, bridleways
and watercourses which cross farmland, how can the spread of pollen and seed and
micro-organisms possibly be contained?
Also,whatever happens to the insect population in the countryside has a bearing on
wildlife
in gardens. Our gardens jointly cover around a million acres of land and represent a
plant bank of ornamentals, fruit, vegetables, herbs and wild flowers as well as a much
needed refuge as part of the system of wildlife corridors. So much of our
countryside
has already been devastated by the use of chemicals resulting in loss of habitat.
How will we know if this genetic contamination is happening? The answer, I am told,
is we won't; at first. When we do it may be too late. Nature, often has a way of
turning things around, and,
although she may take her time to do this, a backlash is possible. BSE and the
abuse
of DDT, are two major examples. GMOs cannot be recalled and it may be that our
descendants will be the ones to curse this technology.
With all these imponderables floating around in a gardener-layman's head it seems to
be that the only definite conclusion to make, is, that the effects of releasing
genetically
modified organisms into our countryside and gardens is grossly under researched. The
fact is, that genetic mistakes cannot be reversed, it therefore defies belief that plans
for
the release of GM crops are being pushed forward with such obscene haste.
We are a nation of gardeners. Apart from all the other considerations of health,
social,
moral etc we must ask for more time to do this most necessary research and have the
answers to these questions proved one way or the other.
Useful reading material sources
Gardening Which magazine June 1998, 01645 830089
Plantlife Magazine article by Brian Johnson Spring 1999, 0171 8080100
The Ecologist Sept/Oct 1998 0171 3513578
The Prince of Wales Website, www.princeofwales.gov.uk
Monsanto Website (knowledge centre), http://www.biotechknowledge.com/
Genetic Engineering Network, http://www.dmac.co.uk/gen.html,
PO Box 9656
London N4 4JY, 0181 374 9516
A book to read is Genetic Engineering, Dream or Nightmare by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho
Natural Law Party campaign to ban genetically
modified foods in Wessex
GMO Free Zone for Dorset?
