ARGENTINE farmers have been experimenting with genetically modified soya (快猫短视频, 17 April, p 40). They thought that, used together with potent herbicides, the GM soya would solve many of the country鈥檚 agricultural problems. Now the crop is being blamed for an environmental crisis threatening Argentina鈥檚 fragile economic recovery. As chair of the all-party Latin America group in Westminster, I asked environment minister Elliot Morley whether the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs was taking careful note of Argentina鈥檚 experience.
Morley replied that the scale and significance of the problems reported in Argentina are disputed, but as 快猫短视频 says, they were caused more by a mishandling of the technology than by the technology itself. The area of soya under cultivation in Argentina has approximately doubled since the introduction of the GM variety, which now makes up more than 99 per cent of the soya grown. With such over-reliance on a single crop, one method of weed control, and a lack of sensible measures such as crop rotation, it is not surprising that problems arise, such as weeds becoming resistant to the herbicide. It is worth noting that for climatic reasons, soya (GM or conventional) cannot be grown in the UK.
CAROLINE FLINT is the Home Office minister with the unenviable responsibility for licensing researchers to use animals in 鈥渟cientific procedures鈥�. Recently she wrote to MPs providing the latest official statistics to set right various claims in the media.
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Flint says that the number of animals used in scientific procedures in 2002 was 2.66 million, which is an increase of 3.5 per cent over 2001. However, since January 1987 the number of procedures started each year using animals has been reduced by 22 per cent. She adds that despite the essential role animal studies play in medical research and safety testing, significant progress has been achieved with the 鈥�3Rs鈥� 鈥� refinement of scientific procedures, reduction in the number of animals used and their replacement wherever possible 鈥� since the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 was implemented.
The Home Office has no control over the demand for procedures. It provided the animal procedures committee with 拢280,000 in 2003 to sponsor 3Rs research, including that into alternatives. The minister agrees that this is a small amount; but it is estimated that government departments, agencies and funding bodies spend up to 拢10 million on such research each year. And industry spends a great deal more.
I give the Home Office full marks for making its position explicit.
