You only need to mention the phrase GM and it’s enough to send everyone into a cold sweat and an awkward silence for fear of saying anything that might upset consumers.

You might have expected more of an outcry in the industry against a campaign group - which has now raised over 10,000 signatures (page 5) - aiming to get Waitrose and Sainsbury’s to delist Bellaverde broccoli. Their argument centres around the involvement of Monsanto - a company involved in GM production outside of Europe - in the breeding process.

Never mind that Bellaverde is in no sense a GM product, or the fact that GM food is not even allowed in the UK - someone has made the connection, however spurious, and is determined to kick up a fuss about it.

What’s surprising is the lack of people publicly defending Bellaverde. Why aren’t more people trying to present the facts of the case and stopping the campaign getting momentum?

It goes to show once again how desperately a balanced and well-informed debate on the subject of GM is needed. I remember sitting at a meat industry conference three years ago where a panel of consumers said they had no understanding of GM and wanted more information.

Whatever your views on GM, with food likely to be in shorter supply, the time for this debate to happen is now.