More GM crops means more nature reserves, says Owen Paterson The Environment Secretary's speech comes after Prime Minister David Cameron said last weekend that Britain should take a new look at GM food as part of efforts to make the UK a pro-science country. In his speech, Mr Paterson will link increased use of GM crops with freeing up more land for nature reserves. This is because GM crops have a better yield and so means that a smaller area of land would need to be planted. He will say: "Used properly GM promises effective ways to protect or increase crop yields. It can also combat the damaging effects of unpredictable weather and disease on crops. It has the potential to reduce fertiliser and chemical use, improve the efficiency of agricultural production and reduce post-harvest losses. If we use cultivated land more efficiently, we could free up space for biodiversity, nature and wilderness. He will refer to research from Rockefeller University which suggests that more extensive use of GM crops "combined with improved agricultural practices across the world, could release an area 2.5 times the size of France from cultivation." He will say GM crops are "safe and cost effective" adding: "Farmers wouldn't grow these crops if they didn't benefit from doing so. Governments wouldn't licence these technologies if they didn't recognise the economic, environmental and public benefits. Consumers wouldn't buy these products if they didn't think they were safe and cost effective. He will add: "While the rest of the world is ploughing ahead and reaping the benefits of new technologies, Europe risks being left behind. We cannot afford to let that happen. The use of GM could be as transformative as the original agricultural revolution was. The UK should be at the forefront of that now, as it was then. Mr Paterson's expected comments were welcomed by the GM industry. Professor Maurice Moloney, Chief Executive of Rothamsted Research, said: "We are very happy to see clear leadership on this issue from Secretary of State Paterson. GM crops and the use of biotechnology in agriculture has been effectively on hold in Europe for many years. The Government's initiative puts the UK back into a leadership position in Europe on this issue and will promote a rational approach to the adoption of technologies that our farmers want and need in order to maintain their competitive position in world agriculture. But critics were sceptical about Mr Paterson's claims. Lord Melchett, Policy Director of the Soil Association, said there is no evidence any GM crops provide higher yields. He said that yields could even be lower, meaning more land is taken up. Lord Melchett, who was arrested in 1999 when he was present at an environmental protest against a GM crop trial, also said it was worse for wildlife. He said the Government's own five year farmscale testing in 2004 had found that GM was worse for wildlife. He said: "It is dinner party gossip he [Paterson] is coming out with not science and not policy." Pete Riley of GM Freeze said it would difficult to export GM crops to our main markets in the EU as consumers on the Continent are against the technology and the EC insist it is on the label.