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Commercial planting is here already
21 May 1999
The four sites are part of the Government's farm-scale trials. They are intended to monitor the long term impact of the cultivation of an AgrEvo GM fodder maize. The maize has already received a marketing consent (under Part C of EU Directive 90/220/EEC) from the French Government. The British Government approved the consent after advice from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (20 June 1996) “that the product notified by the French Competent Authority does not pose a risk in terms of human health and environmental safety for the United Kingdom. They have no objection to the product being placed on the UK market”.
FOE are calling on the Government to revoke the marketing consent using powers available in the EU Directive. FOE has also slammed the farm-scale trials now in operation as scientifically flawed and a cover for creeping commercial development of GM crops. A Cabinet Office document leaked to Friends of the Earth in March stated that “we have been advised that 15 to 25 paired comparisons will be necessary to gather sufficient data to be scientifically sound. We had hopes to start this many in Spring 1999, however this is not possible ... Therefore in Spring 1999 there will be only two field-scale plantings for each GM crop”.
Commenting, FOE Food Campaigner Peter Riley said:
“The Government's research into the long-term safety of GM crops is a charade. These trials are creeping commercialisation. They suit the GM industry down to the ground, because they want time to build up their seed stock before flooding the market with GM crops. The Government should act decisively and revoke this marketing consent. As of today, Mr Cunningham and his ministerial colleagues are simply bowing to industry pressure, rather than listing to the public who want the commercial development of GM crops stopped at once.”
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
