Owen Paterson says GM crops represent an opportunity

Genetically modified crops offer “great opportunities” for meeting the world’s growing food demand, while the public needs to be reassured that varieties are safe, according to Owen Paterson, the U.K.’s secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs.

Genetically modified, or GM, crops should go through the “rigorous processes” put in place by the European Union to screen varieties for safety, Paterson said in an e-mailed copy of prepared statements before a speech today at the Oxford Farming Conference.