GM is important for Ireland. The country’s staple pototao crop is being threatened. Farmers typically spray 10-20 times against blight; organic farmers use the dangerous fungicide called Bordeaux mix, which releases toxic copper into the environment. Teagasc, Ireland’s agricultural agency, is testing blight-resistant GM potatoes, and it would be relatively simple to use biotechnology to make potatoes blight-resistant. The new GM varieties would need much less or even no spraying. Can one imagine a “greener” project?
Over the last 40 years, genetic modification has revolutionized fundamental biology, medicine, agriculture and forensic science. Europe has been a laggard. The political establishment has adopted a highly politicized regulatory system that has made it almost impossible to grow GM crops in Europe. While US farmers have benefited by $78 billion (1996-2010), European farmers and consumers have been denied the use of this innovative science for nearly 20 years.
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