YOU reported in the Times (April 24) that West Devon Borough Council had failed to take the opportunity to declare West Devon a GM-free zone.
It is alarming to read the ill-informed nonsense such as the comments attributed to Cllr Dick Eberlie. Is he representing the people of West Devon or the interests of the corporations when he recycles the myths of ?potential benefits? and ?feeding the third world?? These claims are just spin put out by the biotech corporations as they try to railroad us into accepting what is probably the greatest immediate threat to our environment.
All opinion polls show that the overwhelming majority of people reject genetically modified crops. They do not want them grown in this country, and do not want their food tainted with them either. The Government?s national debate is a PR exercise to soften up public opinion in advance of the first commercial planting of GM crops in this country.
Genetic modification is about property rights over living things, it would give few large corporations control over our food supplies and how and where they are grown and marketed. The technology is not adequately tested.
There is no tough EU legislation controlling the growing of GM crops. Monsanto etc are even protected from product liability for the cross-contamination they will inflict on conventional farmers.
So if our borough councillors wish to support local farmers and consumers as well as protect our environment, I would urge them to declare West Devon GM-free at the next opportunity.
A J Clements
Blackstreet House
South Tawton