Transgenic plants and bees: the beginning of the end or a new opportunity?

The food industry has high hopes for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and claims that they are a solution to global food problems. But are the benefits proven and what are the long-term risks? Are we just creating a new environmental problem for ourselves: genetic pollution? Dr Guy Poppy leads a team of entomologists researching on insect-resistant transgenic crop plants at IACR Rothamsted. In this editorial, he is hoping to present a balanced and factual view of the risks and advantages of this controversial subject.