Date published: 2005/03/30
The Cambridge Evening News says:
Cambridgeshire MP Jim Paice has unveiled the Tories' manifesto for farming with a pledge to ban the commercial planting of genetically modified crops until there is clear proof they are safe.
The Shadow Secretary of State for Agriculture and Rural Affairs also pledged to make food labelling clearer and legislation to ensure all publicly procured food meets British standards.
Mr Paice said: "Taxpayers' money should not be used to buy food which has been produced using methods which would be illegal in Britain so we will ensure all publicly procured food is to Little Red Tractor standard."
The Cambridgeshire South East MP also promised a ban on any commercial planting of GM crops until or unless science shows this would be safe and until or unless issues of liability and crop segregation are resolved.
He said: "A legal framework is needed to protect plant species and to clarify liability for contamination before any authorisation of commercial planting is given."
Mr Paice promised legislation to reform food labelling so consumers are given clear information about the country of origin of the major ingredients and whether it meets the standards required of British farmers.
He said: "Current labelling rules mean food can be sold as British even though it has only been packaged here. By legislating to end such practices we will allow our farmers to benefit from the public's preference for home-grown produce and will end deceit of the customer."
Yes, the Tories still live in the 19th century, and it's just as well they are going to lose the forthcoming election. The phrase "clear proof they are safe" is just an excuse to cover up the real intent, i.e. "never". There is no such thing as 100% safe, for anything, and people who like to claim anything can be shown to be 100% safe are from the marketing department ("the world is black and white") rather than the engineering department ("the world is gray"), and so are ignorant and should be ignored. No matter what the evidence is to the contrary, people who hate GM crops will never accept that they are "safe", because their objections are religious.
And it's interesting that the GM haters claim there should be liability for "contamination" by GM crops, but nobody currently get compensated for contamination by conventional crops. People who live within a km or more of farms will find random plants, e.g. rape seed, growing in their gardens. Should they be compensated? So-called organic farmers have a religious objection to what they call non-organic seed landing in their fields, so why should non-organic farmers not have a religious objection to what is called organic seed landing in their fields? Ah, but so-called organic farmers are saving the world, so they are the good guys. Well, in reality this is just another fad by which the middle class can pretend they are superior to the working class (because so-called organic food costs more and so the rich can more easily afford it).
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