And the revolution in biotechnology could concentrate power over what farmers grow in the hands of a few big seed producers. Varieties will be lost to farmers. Riley feared that companies would hold on to seed types and only bring them out when they wanted to use a particular gene. Using one type of seed across a wide range of soil types, climates or other variations in conditions was not good practice. Historically crops had been developed to suit micro-environments.
Farmers have to have seeds which grow best in their type of system or environment.
Riley was concerned that large scale production of one type of crop could mean more use of chemicals. A pest could take a fancy to it and we then have to use heavy chemicals. He was not convinced by the biotechnology companies' argument that chemical use would be reduced by the use of resistant crops. It just shifts from other chemicals to their chemicals. Erosion of the genetic base was a major concern for Greenpeace.