GM seed company accused of breaking the law9 April 1999
The first farm to take part in the Government's farm scale trials of genetically modified (GM) crops may be forced to plough up seed that it planted over the Easter weekend. Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to suspend farm scale trials of genetically modified crops at Lushill Farm, in Hannington, near Swindon, Wiltshire following revelations that AgrEvo, the company undertaking the trials, appear to have broken the law by not informing local people of its plans.
AgrEvo now plans to notify the local public, despite the fact that it has already planted GM seed on the farm and that the law requires GM seed firms to notify the public prior to planting.
Companies seeking to grow GM trial crops are legally obliged to publish details of the proposed trial "in a newspaper...circulating in the areas likely to be affected by the proposed release". For the Lushill Farm trial, AgrEvo published details in the Gloucestershire Echo, a paper little read in the Hannington area, and not available in the main newspaper shop in Highworth, the nearest town. AgrEvo, now intends to advertise in the Swindon Evening News, but has no plans to stop the trials.
Friends of the Earth (FOE) has written to Environment Minister Michael Meacher calling on him to order that the crops be ploughed up, and that no further releases take place until after re-advertisement and consideration of any public representations. FOE's legal advisor says in the letter that the situation "makes a mockery of even the paltry public 'consultation' requirements".
In a letter to FOE, Mr. Meacher has refused to plough the site up. Meanwhile, protests around the test site at a local level are gathering apace.
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