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THREE YEAR GM BAN NOT ENOUGH, SECRET PAPER SHOWS Leaked Government Document Confirms Need For Five Year Freeze
16 March 1999
The paper also shows that a proposed three year moratorium on GM crops will not be long enough to assess their environmental impact. The document says that farm scale evaluations, due to start this month “will run for 3-4 years” but due to lack of resources and lack of seed there won't be enough data to be “scientifically sound” for the first year.
The leaked paper also reveals that:
. if the companies have the necessary permissions they would be permitted to sell the seeds to farmers and the “farmers would be able to exploit the harvested produce”.
. “The UK's voluntary agreement with industry, keep us clear of any legal dispute with the European Commission”.
Tony Juniper, Policy Director at Friends of the Earth said:
“The Government has promised that there will be no commercial planting of GM crops until scientific research shows that they are safe. If research will not be completed for up to four years and will not begin in earnest until next year, then a voluntary three year ban is irrelevant. It adds nothing of substance to what we have already been told and appears more geared to influencing public opinion than the date of first commercialisation of GM crops.”
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
