From: Brett Paatsch (paatschb@optusnet.com.au)
Date: Wed Jun 18 2003 - 23:13:02 MDT
Trespassers uproot John Innes pea plants.
http://www.nature.com/nsu/030616/030616-13.html
"The pea plants contained an extra gene, designed to
highlight parts affected by drought.
Intruders have destroyed genetically modified research
plants growing at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK.
The plants were part of a three-year contained experiment
looking at the effects of drought on plant growth. They
were not part of a trial of commercial crops.
"This attack was intended solely to suppress the collection
of scientific evidence which will help inform society as to
the benefits, or otherwise, of GM technology," said Chris
Lamb, director of the John Innes Centre.
Trespassers broke into the site early on Saturday 14 June,
slashed a large plastic tunnel and uprooted specimens
growing inside. No one has admitted responsibility.
The incident coincides with the UK's ongoing public
discussion process on GM crops. The results will inform
the government's decision on whether to allow them to be
planted commercially. "
-----------
I've got to admit I'm developing a bit of a soft spot for the
'land of Ludd'. First the most liberal legislation around on
stem cells (excepting perhaps China, which don't go in for
that sort of thing, and are a bit iffy on IP as well), now what
appears to be a genuine attempt to wrestle through a sound
position with respect to GMOs. Admittedly my warming up
to the Pommie attitude to biotech is not yet based on great
intimacy with the details of their GM debate (nor on the
incidents reported above). But it does seem the Brits are
having a *real* discussion, well some of them. Others are
just doing 'a spot of gardening'.
Roll Britannia.
- Brett Paatsch
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Jun 18 2003 - 23:22:11 MDT