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16 Mar 2000
One of the scientists carrying out controversial research for the Government on the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops is also being paid by the biotechnology industry to“make the case for GM crops”, Friends of the Earth revealed today. FOE has written to Environment Minister Michael Meacher demanding that he sack the scientist and his Institute from the Government's GM research programme.
Dr Peter Lutman [1] works at the Institute of Arable Crops Research (IACR), part of a consortium of research groups carrying out Government work on farm-scale trials. The consortium has contracts worth £3.3 million with the Government for this work. Dr Lutman is a co-author of a report to the Government on progress on the trials.
Dr Lutman is also “at the heart” of CropGen, a new initiative launched by the biotechnology industry to make the case for GM crops [2]. Two other scientists from IACR are also part of CropGen[3]. CropGen have confirmed to Friends of the Earth that scientists on the CropGen panel are paid “honoraria” for their work as panel members.
Friends of the Earth's Food Campaigner, Pete Riley said:
“This is absolutely outrageous. IACR seems to be happy that their scientists are paid by the biotech industry to make the case for GM crops, while they are working on supposedly neutral scientific studies on the subject for the Government.
This simply deprives IACR's work on the farm-scale trials of any credibility. The Government must act fast to sack these scientists and their research institute from the already tarnished farm-scale trials.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Head of Research Programme Weed Biology and Control
[2] www.cropgen.org
[3] Dr Nigel Halford and Dr Guy Poppy
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
