Growing GMO potatoes would be bad for P.E.I.'s reputation, council argues

Innate generation 1 potatoes were less likely to go brown. Generation 2 requires less pesticide to battle late blight. Image: Hand out photo, J.R. Simplot

The Council of Canadians is pressing the provincial government to keep genetically modified potatoes out of P.E.I. soil.

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Council chair Leo Broderick questions the science behind Innate generation 2 potatoes, and added P.E.I. would be better off staying away from the controversy surrounding genetically modified food. He noted P.E.I. is already attracting attention as a producer of genetically modified salmon.

"It would be foolhardy for the province to allow genetically engineered potatoes to be grown in the province," said Broderick.

"If we add genetically engineered potatoes we will have a very poor image and that's not the kind of image that we want for the province."

There are currently no Inate potatoes being commercially grown on P.E.I., however there are small test plots of both generations 1 and 2 on the Island.

Broderick said the Council of Canadians will be joining other groups across the country to campaign against the growing of the potatoes.

While the Inate potatoes are genetically engineered, there are only potato genes — from a mix of wild and cultivated varieties — used in the process.

SOURCE Kevin Yarr, Laura Chapin, CBC News