article_snippet: Scientists at the publicly funded Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich are hoping to develop a GM potato using eight genes from other varieties.
article_snippet: eight genes will also protect against potato blight, which costs UK farmers
article_snippet: Professor Jonathan Jones, who is leading the project and is already in negotiations with the US firm Simplot to commercialise a GM potato, said GM technology is the only way to achieve such results.
article_snippet: Professor Jones and his team have previously developed a potato which, after three years of trials, was shown to ward off blight and increase yields.
article_snippet: Professor Jones and his team sold the results of that research to Simplot and are looking to develop the idea by introducing further genes.
article_snippet: Peter Melchett, of the Soil Association, said: ‘A previous GM potato, launched in 2009, was claimed to be the answer to the blight disease common in the UK potato crop.
article_snippet: Now we’re told that won’t work, and a GM potato needs up to eight different GM characteristics to be useful.
article_snippet: ’ Liz O’Neill, of the campaign group GM Freeze, said: ‘Blight is very good at evolving –
article_snippet: this might just force a faster evolution of the blight disease common in the UK potato crop.
article_snippet: Although there have been field trials in the past, no GM food has ever been commercially grown in Britain because of European regulations that make it difficult to get licences.
article_snippet: Professor Jones said GM ‘has been shown to be safe’, and before a GM potato could be sold, a GM potato would need extensive testing and authorisation from EU bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority.
article_snippet: Professor Jonathan Jones, who is leading the project said a GM potatoaims to be better for the environment, reduce production costs, reduce waste and also be healthier’.
article_snippet: The myth: GM strains will cross-pollinate and
highlights_snippet: British team has agreed government funding to develop a GM potato .
  
highlights_snippet: British team will have beneficial genes from other varieties to make the perfect crop .
  