Oxford comprises a curious mix of locals, students and tourists and, in truth, never the three do meet.

That explains a lot about the mood of the city. I found it very pretty, but lacking that sense of coherent community. I hear that the same is true of a lot of American “college towns” - not much mixing goes on.

You are right that the debate about GM technology has become polarized. And, I agree there does need to be a constructive debate. If we are going to stick to the science when talking about GM however, we need to be reassured that the science has been properly tested and that GM really does lead to higher-yielding and pest-resistant crops.

From all that I have read and researched, this technology has been largely fast-tracked without adequate peer review studies.

In March I listened online to a special media briefing held at the Australian Science and Media Centre in Adelaide. Billed as a democratic debate on GM, it was hopelessly one-sided with four, ‘dyed-in-the-wool’ scientists each giving a presentation with very little time for questions.

Professor Sir Gustav Nossal (Melbourne Univ) explained how the Victorian government had requested submissions from the public as part of the process leading up to the lifting of the moratorium on GM crops. Of 1048 submission only 248 were deemed substantive. 20 individuals and 40 groups were then consulted in face to face interviews over a period of 5 months. Did anyone living in Victoria hear about this consultation process and get the chance to participate? Does anyone know anyone else that did?

When Sir Gustav concluded his presentation, he said a prolonged moratorium would discourage investment in Victoria. Is it about dollars or feeding people??

Sir Gustav also spoke about farmers having a choice - but Percy Schmeiser’s experience in Canada suggests that farmers don’t get a chance if their crops get cross-pollinated. Another scientist, Rick Roush (also Melbourne Uni) said that cross-pollination was essentially an agronomic or market issue. They all denied any knowledge of US and Canadian farmers suing Monsanto, but they did admit that it’s important to avoid human error when harvesting, storing grain in silos or broadcasting seed. That’s the same as admitting that there is cross-pollination.

But back to the science. Yes, of course, we should look at the science and if science can give us safe and affordable drought-resistant and high-yielding crops etc, then great, but having watched the documentary (see link on my 2.5.08 post) it seems that GM has been rushed through the regulatory process. A journalist attending the media briefing mentioned that a Russian study had shown that rats fed GM soya beans had developed tumours, but this case has not been thoroughly researched.

Documentary-maker Barbara Burstyn, who travelled around India making the documentary, One Man, One Cow, One Planet (see my 11.4.08 post) also found that the introduction of GM was not the cure-all it is made out to be. She advocates a return to basics - small-holdings with rotational cropping and the liberal use of cow dung. Some of the younger farmers in India are turning their backs on GM.

But if the science does hold up and GM is part of the solution to the world food crisis, then its application must not be hijacked by greedy multinationals.

Forcing farmers in developing countries to sign up to punitive contracts and to purchase new seed every year simply entrenches poverty and dependence.

I agree that we need to open up the debate on GM, but that means transparency and accountability on all sides. We need to know what’s in Roundup and why it has recently lost its classification as ‘biodegradable and environmentally friendly’; we need to hear from a range of GM and non-GM farmers in the developing and developed world about their experiences;we need proof that GM technology has been thoroughly tested and regulated; we need an informed public debate with players from all sectors.

There is currently no energetic or transparent debate in the mainstream press or media. Rather than being informed by science, many of us feel that we are being blinded and baffled by the science.

So when are we gonna have a home-cooked dinner eh?