Is it really a Failure?

[Neil Jones]

stan_gorodenski at asualumni.org (Stanley A. Gorodenski) wrote in message news:<3FB0758F.6080002 at asualumni.org>...
> The October 24th issue of Science, vol 302 no 5645 pages 542 & 543, had 
> a write-up titled "Mixed Message could prove costly for GM Crops". The 
> EU is not publicly in favor of genetically modified crops and so they 
> contracted out to have an experiment performed on beet, maize, and 
> oilseed rape. The results were that GM crops for herbicide resistance 
> were harmful to the environment, but not in the way you might think. For 
> example, it was found that GM rape plots had 24% fewer butterflies 
> because efforts to control weeds with herbicides were more effective. In 
> other words, the butterfly populations were higher in non-GM crops 
> because weed control was not as good. Since butterflies, as well as 
> other insects and birds, depend on there weeds, their numbers were lower 
> in GM plots.
> 
> Is this really a failure or is it a success? It seems a success is being 
> twisted and distorted into being interpreted as a failure. If the 
> purpose of weed control is to eradicate weeds to increase crop 
> productions, how can something that enhances weed control be interpreted 
> as being bad? Am I missing something here? Niel, you may know something 
> about this that I do not.
> 
> Stan

Well Stan.

It is a bit more complicated than that. The British Government is very
much in favour of GM. The Environment Minister was recently sacked
because he wasn't.
In fact he was a real problem for them. I have heard him speaking
about it and he is the most informed politician that I have ever
encountered. He knows all the holes in the GM argument very well.
However, here is a Butterfly Conservation press release on the
subject. Inside the UK the position is different.  Many local councils
are opposed to GM and the  National Assembly for Wales has a different
position which seems to keep changing but is basically against.

(For those confused by British geography the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland is not the same as England. England is
one of the constituent parts along with Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. I know I have mentioned this before but Americans tend to get
it badly wrong. Many are unaware that many of us here in Wales can
still speak what is essentially the langauge of the Ancient Britains
who were present before the Angles and Saxon's i.e. the English
arrived. There are bilingual road signs and shop signs everywhere.)

GM Trials – High risk to much-loved butterflies 
Press Information 
17th October 2003 


The results of the farm-scale evaluation of GM crops, announced
yesterday by Defra, showed that some varieties could have a serious
impact on our already beleaguered butterfly populations.

The trials have confirmed Butterfly Conservation's worst fears about
the possible introduction of this new technology, which could greatly
exacerbate the problems facing butterflies and other wildlife.
Particularly worrying is the major reduction in numbers of much-loved
species such as Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, which were reduced by
up to 50% in GM crops compared to conventional ones.

Our surveys have demonstrated that many common butterflies have
already declined substantially due to agricultural intensification.
The results would be a further nail in the coffin of these beautiful
species as well as many other insects, which are an important part of
the food chain and together comprise two-thirds of our biodiversity.

Butterfly Conservation is also concerned that the trials only reveal
the tip of the ice-berg of potential problems with GM crops, as they
only looked at herbicide resistant varieties. A far bigger threat for
butterflies, moths and other insects, is posed by GM crops containing
insecticidal genes. These could have a direct impact on butterflies
and other species breeding in and around crops and would have serious
consequences if the genes were passed to wild plants through
interbreeding.

The introduction of GM crops could undermine recent government
initiatives to encourage more wildlife friendly farming. Our research
into agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship shows
that they are beginning to reverse the downward trend of some
butterflies. The new Entry Level scheme (currently being piloted) also
looks promising in helping conserve widespread butterflies and farm
biodiversity.

Dr Martin Warren, Chief Executive of Butterfly Conservation said:
"Butterflies have already been devastated by intensive agriculture and
the trials of GM crops show that they could be given another major
blow. The government has recently made great advances in encouraging
wildlife friendly farming, it would be disastrous if this was
undermined by introducing a potentially damaging new technology. On
the basis of these trials we urge government not to permit the
commercial growing of GM crops because of the likely adverse impact on
biodiversity."



Additional notes for Editors

The results of the farm scale trial of GM herbicide resistant crops
were announced yesterday (16th October 2003) by the Department for the
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The trials looked
specifically at the impact of the GM crops and their management on
wildlife, in a three year study that started in 1999. Details can be
found on their website:


Farm Scale Evaluation results - important new evidence on GM crops
422/03
GM Crop Farm Scale Evaluation results published today 423/03
(Issued on behalf of the FSE Scientific Steering Committee) 


The trials showed that, in GM oilseed rape (one of the richest crops
for butterflies) numbers of butterflies were reduced on average by 24%
compared to conventional crops, and that there were fewer nectar
providing weeds. However, reductions were far greater in some
beautiful and familiar species such as the Peacock (39%) and Small
Tortoiseshell (34%), and field margin species such as Gatekeeper (47%)
and Green-veined White (40%). In GM beet crops, Peacock numbers were
50% less and Small Tortoiseshell 49% less. The researchers concluded
"Growing GM beet and spring rape on a large scale may disadvantage
wildlife, especially farmland birds, bees and butterflies".


The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, recently
produced by Butterfly Conservation, shows that almost two-thirds of
Britain's resident species have declined seriously over the last 150
years and 5 species have become extinct. Most of the declines are
attributed to the intensification of agriculture and changing
management practices on farms and in woods.


Butterfly Conservation has recently completed a three year programme
of research with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs on existing agri-environment schemes such as Countryside
Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas. This revealed that
they are helping to slow, and in some cases reverse, the long-term
decline in numbers of England's rarer butterfly species. A separate
press release is available on this research from
www.butterfly-conservation.org – see "Green farming schemes are
helping England's butterflies" (issued 6/8/02).


Butterfly Conservation is the largest insect conservation charity in
Europe with over 10,000 members in the UK. Its aim is the conservation
of butterflies, moths and their habitats. The Society runs
conservation programmes on over 60 threatened species of butterfly and
moth, organises national butterfly recording and monitoring schemes,
and manages over 25 nature reserves. Downloadable photos of
butterflies are available from Butterfly Conservation's website
(www.butterfly-conservation.org) (details of permission to use them is
given under the 'Privacy and Copyright' section).
 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.butterflyguy.com/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn
Bog National Nature Reserve.

 
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