Editorial: Time for a rethink on GM crops

The dire prophecies of Frankenstein foods have not come to pass and it's no longer just scientist waving the flag for fast-growing, pest-resistant cereals

Calls for an end to the ban on genetically modified crops are growing louder. Better still, it is no longer just scientists waving the flag for fast-growing, pest-resistant cereals. Now it is farmers. Thanks to the combined pressures of climate change, financial hardship and concern at being left behind by GM-friendly rivals across North and South America, the majority of Britain’s farmers are now avowedly “pro”.

The only problem is that the cultivation of GM crops is illegal in Britain, as it is across the EU. It is time for a rethink, and signs that the Government agrees are to be welcomed. The dire prophecies of Frankenstein foods have not come to pass. Meanwhile, better crops mean more food, more cheaply, and without many of the unsustainable consequences of industrial agriculture. It can only be hoped that farmers adding their voices to the chorus will help drag Europe into the modern, better-fed world.