Swiss researchers against TT ban

ZÜRICH - Many Swiss Scientists are worried about the unscientific attitude of the Swiss Farmers’ Association and several Development Agencies and Environmental Groups. Numerous university scientists are irritated and worried about a new fear campaign launched by farmers, developmental agencies and environmental groups against agricultural biotechnology. At the centre of the debate is the so called Terminator Technology, which makes it possible to breed plants with sterile seeds. This technology solves one of the central problems of biosafety when responsibly applied. The so called Terminator Technology (TT) prevents the spontaneous germination of seeds. This has the potential to create a highly efficient biosafety system which would prevent the unintended dispersal of genetically modified (GM) crops through lost seeds or outcrossing. By this application one of the central arguments put forward against GM crops would be invalidated. TT could allow the easy co-existence of GM crops with conventional farming systems and thereby create the free choice often demanded by the public as well as farmers and consumers. However, this technology has not been studied sufficiently. From its inception onwards, ten years ago, it was criticized in a polemical manner with mistaken economic arguments, despite its potential contribution to biosafety. Farmers are free to choose the most appropriate seed to operate their farms optimally. In a free market no farm manager is forced to use GM seeds or TT, if it does not provide him with a profit. The public polemic in this field has prevented extensive and efficient research. As a consequence, TT has not yet established itself. So far there is not even a functional TT-system available to be investigated. We believe that all methods of plant breeding should be studied step by step and their potential applications evaluated, before one can rationally decide on bans of potential abuses. The step by step procedure of worldwide releases of GM crops allows for enough opportunities to prevent widespread releases, as soon as there is any indication of potential misuse. For this no preventative bans are needed. The argument does not convince that TT is a novel immoral method to enslave farmers. Agricultural systems, in which farmers cannot sow seeds saved from their own past harvest, have existed for a long time on farms in the industrialized countries; this has not led to dependency or impoverishment of farmers. This applies for instance to hybrid maize which rapidly loses its yield advantage if saved seeds are used. Today’s agricultural problems lie in very different areas. Switzerland – a country without natural resources – lives on its innovative potential, its ability to develop and test new technologies. In the plant sciences, Switzerland has a good international reputation. The new Swiss National Research Program 59 (Benefits and Risks of GM crops) will contribute to this good reputation. Arbitrary and scientifically unfounded arguments, put forward by NGOs and possibly repeated by governments delegations, do not contribute to the reputation of the country abroad. Recently, several countries that deal rationally with this new technology like Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom have come out against a ban on Terminator Technology and argue for a case by case decision on its application. This procedure is anyway planned for any release of GM crops. "Source":[ http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=12464&start=11&control=194&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1].

---