Rothamsted anti-GM Crops Protest

There was an anti-GMO protest held outside the Rothamsted Research Centre in Harpenden, Herfordshire on Sunday. The group organizing the protest has a great name! Take the Flour Back, see: http://taketheflourback.org/ See here for a news story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18224637 . My own views on the subject of genetically modified crops are described in detail in many articles, like this one: http://hpanwo.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/alternative-view-ii-part-3.html

There was a very sedate and urbane counter-demonstration by a group of Skeptics led by Mark Henderson, a former science correspondent for The Times. I saw a live lecture by him last week at London Skeptics in the Pub (Sorry, I’ve not had time to do a report). Here’s an article about the protest he’s been planning on his website: http://geekmanifesto.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/the-geek-manifesto-on-gm-crops/ and: http://geekmanifesto.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/dont-destroy-research/ In the article he plays a dirty game of moral blackmail by saying that you’ll be eating less, and feeding your family less of course, fruit and vegetables if you eat organic because they cost more. In fact the price difference between organic and non-organic has narrowed and some organic brands, like Yeo Valley butter, cost less than many non-organic brands. I wish the protesters luck!