Government announces more GM trial sites14 March 2002
New GM maize sites in England look set to cause a pollution threat to neighbouring conventional and organic crops. There are 35 sites in England, but none in Wales.
The list of sites was expected to include over 20 sites in south west England, to meet the scientific requirement for the distribution of the sites to represent the areas in which fodder maize is grown. There are in fact only 11 sites in the south west, all but one of which is in Dorset. One village has four sites.
A new report by the European Environment Agency on pollen transfer from GM crops concludes that "evidence suggests that GM maize plants would cross-pollinate non-GM maize plants up to and beyond their recommended isolation distance of 200m."
It states that maize pollen has been shown to cross with other maize plants up to 800m apart and "it is estimated that small quantities of pollen are likely to travel much further under suitable atmospheric conditions."
The current separation distances between GM and non-GM are 200m for sweetcorn and organic maize but only 80m for conventional fodder maize.
"These new crop trials will be deeply unpopular," said Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Adrian Bebb. "They threaten the livelihoods of neighbouring farmers who want to grow conventional and organic crops. The separation distances are clearly inadequate, but despite the scientific warnings the Government is pressing ahead in an irresponsible way. They have clearly failed to convince many new farmers to join in this great uncontrolled experiment. The Government should abandon these unwanted trials for once and for all."
The English sites are (reference Parish County/Authority):
NZ 206 363 Oakenshaw, Durham
SE 448 422 Bramham cum Oglethorpe, Leeds
SJ 573 381 Whitchurch, Shropshire
SJ 602 214 Ercall Magna Telford and Wrekin
SJ 619 473 Sound, Cheshire
SJ 683 254 Hinstock, Shropshire
SJ 714 870 Lymm, Warrington
SK 963 898 Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire
SO 556 486 Felton, Herefordshire
SO 561 479 Felton, Herefordshire
SO 915 565 Tibberton, Worcestershire
SP 154 403 Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
ST 587 164 Over Compton, Dorset
ST 626 380 East Pennard, Somerset
ST 785 091 Ibberton, Dorset
ST 813 082 Turnworth, Dorset
SU 362 990 Hinton Waldrist, Oxfordshire
SU 748 692 Shinfield, Wokingham
SY 667 857 Bincombe, Dorset
SY 669 864 Bincombe, Dorset
SY 680 822 Bincombe, Dorset
SY 681 836 Bincombe, Dorset
SY 764 938 Athelhampton, Dorset
SY 775 926 Tincleton, Dorset
SY 901 853 East Holme, Dorset
TA 020 010 North Kelsey, Lincolnshire
TA 225 374 Aldbrough, East Riding of Yorkshire
TF 040 173 Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire
TF 195 974 Thorganby, Lincolnshire
TF 934 241 Horningtoft, Norfolk
TG 090 173 Lyng, Norfolk
TM 051 221 Elmstead, Essex
TM 068 897 Old Buckenham, Norfolk
TM 106 873 Winfarthing, Norfolk
TM 168 215 Weeley, Essex
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