Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am interested in the discussion about the genetically modified, GM, crops. I could be totally wrong but my understanding is that GM is something that would not happen in nature. It would not happen without the interference of man, whereas with breeding, the green revolution and all the other ways of doing it - be it within the same breed or the same family - things are brought together faster than nature would do it but it is still a natural process, in that it is still within the confines of the possibility of it happening in nature. It is different whereas GM would not happen in nature. I remember an example that I was once given about a breed of strawberries. To make them frost resistant something was taken from a type of fish that lived in Arctic waters. That could never happen in nature but genetic modification could make it happen. This is what people perceive and the fear they have of it is that the process is unnatural and therefore there are dangers associated with it. A typical example was that we all thought it was safe to feed meat and bonemeal to cattle. Certainly, it was deemed safe for many years but it is not safe today because we know the consequences of it. It was not natural for bovines to eat meat and bonemeal. It would never happen in nature. This is the context in which people have the issue with GM crops.

I also seek the witnesses' view on another concern that is often raised. Many people are concerned that genetic modification creates an intellectual property, which may be owned by particular companies or brands. It then becomes something over which farmers no longer have control with regard to the seed or the input. This control may lie in the hands of whoever owns the intellectual property. This is usually a corporation that has invested in the technology for the development of the product. People are fearful that the farming community or the ordinary people of the world would lose control over the raw materials with which they produce their crops to corporations who would charge for it, limit it or take it away. Perhaps the witnesses could give their views on this.