Owen Paterson, the UK environment secretary, is calling on the EU to allow more GM crops to be sold.

In addition, the Financial Times has reported that "ministers from several [UK Government] departments are preparing to launch a new agri-tech strategy this spring that will make a strong case for the science."

But the FT also says Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, "faces an uphill struggle not only in Brussels but also convincing the public of the benefits" of GM – "not least after the horsemeat scandal increased sensitivity over food safety."

The FT article says that George Freeman, a Tory MP close to biotech interests who is advising Whitehall on the UK's new agri-tech strategy, has said that if Paterson fails to win over other EU countries such as France or Germany, who seem firmly against GM food and farming, then "we should look . . . to the derogation of GM product licensing back to nation states". But as the FT also notes, "in 2010, the commission proposed giving back control over GM crop approval to member states. But this was abandoned last year after opposition from countries including Germany and France."

Mr Freeman also repeated the biotech industry/Mark Lynas mantra by saying the debate about safety was over. "Over one trillion meals containing GM food have now been eaten in what is effectively the biggest ever global clinical trial in the history of mankind, without one adverse health report," he said. See our debunking of this ludicrous claim here.

The FT also notes that regardless of how much political support there may be for pushing GM crops "since the eruption of the horsemeat scandal, some [UK Government] coalition strategists now fear that the public will not stomach 'more chat about messing with food' for now."

The FT also notes that it's "still not clear how Britain would be able to force Brussels' hand unilaterally. "Trying to push this issue on its own could undermine a raft of other agreements. It would affect the principle of joint decision-making," said one Whitehall official."

The FT also notes that José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, has said that the EU is not prepared to compromise on the GM issue in forthcoming EU-US free trade talks.

Another report about the GM push in the UK - "Politicians must promote GM food" says that John Stevenson MP, who chairs the all party parliamentary group on food and drink manufacturing, is calling for politicians and academics to do more to promote the benefits of GM because the food industry can't be expected to take the lead on such a sensitive subject.
 http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Manufacturing/Politicians-must-promote-GM-food

Last year the FT quoted Stevenson as saying, "Potentially there is a huge risk that yes, in 20 years time we might be eating GM food but the research and science and centres of excellence could be in other parts of the world developing the products of the future. We would rather see that happening in Britain."
 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e5033596-bebd-11e1-b24b-00144feabdc0.html

As we commented at the time, the subtext of all this is that the focus needs to be on UK "wealth creation" rather than the public good. This perspective conveniently ignores the fact that innovative biotechnological apoproaches other than GM are far more promising, and that agroecological farming practices are more productive. 

Agroecological approaches also ensure the health of humans, ecosystems, livelihoods and food security. But, hey, who cares about what works for small farmers, the environment or consumers, let alone tackles global hunger, when we can have a flashy "agri-tech strategy" that can be promoted as making money for GB PLC. 
 http://www.gmwatch.org/news/14026
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Owen Paterson "to call for EU to allow more GM crops to be sold"
The Telegraph, 11 March 2013
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/9921601/Owen-Paterson-to-call-for-EU-to-allow-more-GM-crops-to-be-sold.html

*Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, is to call for the sale of more genetically-modified crops to be allowed in Europe, despite fears about the so-called "Frankenstein foods" it was reported. 

Only two GM crops have so far been approved for human consumption by the EU, though their use is much more widespread in the US and China.

But proponents of the technology argue that Europe could suffer food shortages and become increasingly reliant on imports if it fails to embrace it.

Now Mr Paterson, who has previously spoken about the benefits of GM, will make the case for a change in a high-profile speech, the Daily Mail reported.
 http://bit.ly/Ycrlhe

He is said to have the backing of George Osborne, who believes it could provide economic opportunities for British farmers.

Some fear that tampering with the genes in crops could damage natural ecosystems or even have an effect on human health, but Mr Paterson has dismissed such worries as "complete nonsense". 

He has described opponents of GM has "humbugs" and said the case for the technology needed to be made "emphatically" in Britain.

Mr Paterson believes that Britain should be open to using the science to boost crop yields and prevent disease.

However latest figures suggest the public may remain sceptical. A survey last month by the Food Standards Agency found two out of three shoppers wanted products from animals fed a GM diet to be labelled.

The Environment Secretary also faces a battle in winning over countries such as France or Germany that are firmly against GM farming or food.

One option may be for separate EU nations to be allowed to set their own rules about whether to allow GM food to be sold.

An aide to Mr Paterson told the Mail: "He wants to have a national conversation about it, based on scientific evidence, and the Prime Minister supports that."