Genetically modified (GM) foods are at the center of the latest tiff in Britain’s royal family. The views of Prince Charles, a devoted supporter of organic farming and ardent foe of GM foods, have been publicly criticized in recent days by both his father, Prince Philip, and his sister, Princess Anne. Last month, Prince Charles echoed the feelings of many enviros and Brits when, in a nationally broadcast address on BBC radio, he argued that toying with the natural world through biotechnology could have “potentially disastrous long-term consequences.” For his part, Prince Philip argued on Monday that exotic species like the gray squirrel have had more of a negative effect on Britain’s environment than GM crops. Enviros retort that GM crops are worrisome for the same reason that exotic species are — because no one can predict the ways they will disrupt the natural environment.
