Poll: Are GM crops the way forward for agriculture?
As Owen Paterson says that genetically modified crops have the potential to improve the environment and save lives, we ask if Star readers think they are the way forward.
The Environment Secretary claimed the intense scrutiny placed on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) would actually mean they are safer foods than those produced using conventional means.
He said an area seven times the size of the UK was already being used for the cultivation of GM crops worldwide and there was "no substantiated case" of an adverse impact on health.
But opponents of GM methods say it contributes to intensive farming practices and pesticide use that are environmentally damaging and that it will not tackle problems facing agriculture or deliver secure food supplies for the world's growing population. The only benefits are for the large agricultural businesses that develop and sell the technology, they claim.
Do you think that GM crops are the way forward for agriculture? Vote in our poll and have your say in the comments section:
