New research delivers double blow to GM oilseed rape1 September 2005
A follow-up study to the UK Government's farm scale trials discovered GM oilseed rape crops had negative impacts on biodiversity years after they were grown.
The research found that the immediate impacts on farmland wildlife discovered in the original trials persisted for at least two years.
Growing GM oilseed rape led to lower numbers of weed seeds - an important source of food for farmland birds. Any reduction is likely to harm farmland bird populations.
This is yet more evidence that GM oilseed rape should not be approved for commercial growing. The effect of growing this GM crop on a commercial scale and over longer time periods could be devastating.
Clare Oxborrow, GM Campaigner,
Friends of the Earth
Contamination problems
Another new study found that GM oilseed rape could contaminate non-GM crops fifteen years after being grown.
The research looked at how long oilseed rape seeds could survive in soil and germinate after spillage during harvest.
The new research predicted that one in twenty spilt seeds would survive in the soil for 9 years. One per cent would still germinate after fifteen years.
If such seeds were GM, they would cause long-term contamination of future non-GM crops.
Demand a ban on Monsanto's oilseed rape
A type of GM oilseed rape was approved for import into Europe in August.
Friends of the Earth is calling on member states to use provisions in EU law to impose national bans on the GM seed.
Find out more and ask the UK Government to take action.
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