CHURCH OF ENGLAND WANTS MORATORIUM ON GM CROPS
April 5, 2000

Reuters - Bill Rosato

LONDON -- The Church of England's Ethical Advisory Group was cited as saying
in a statement Wednesday that the church should not allow new tenants to
carry out genetically modified crop trials on its land, adding, "Until
further research has been conducted into the ecological risks, new
agricultural leases should contain a clause excluding the planting of GM
crops on church land," and that  an "ethical framework" for GM crop research
should be developed before the church allows trials on its land.
"Researchers should ask themselves the question 'what is the effect on the
spiritual and physical well being of others resulting from our actions in
pursuit of this science?"' ... "The genetic modification of crops is not
beyond the range of acceptable human activities... The group considers the
potential benefits of genetic modification for humankind to be too great to
ignore."