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Gm seeds fiasco: the dig-up begins
23 May 2000
A farmer affected by the Advanta Seeds GM contamination incident has decided to dig up his crop. Friends of the Earth has learned that the farm is located near Beccles in North Suffolk.
The affected crop was a spring oilseed rape variety (Hyola 38) which was contaminated with up to 1% of GM seed. Major British supermarkets have said that they will refuse to buy the crops from farmers who planted the contaminated seed, leaving them facing considerable financial loss. It is believed that Advanta have instructed farmers not to dig up the crop in the UK. The British Government has done nothing to prevent the affected crop from being grown, although in Sweden the Government is moving to ensure that it is removed from the ground as soon as possible.
Farmers who remove the contaminated crop from the ground and resow oilseed rape before the end of May would still be eligible for EU subsidy (Arable Area Payments).
Commenting, FOE Real Food Campaigner Pete Riley said:
“This is a brave action by an individual farmer facing company pressure and Government indifference. But it is a disgrace that farmers have been put in this position. The Government has a duty to see that all the contaminated crops are removed from the ground at once, and that farmers are properly compensated for any losses they suffer.
We have repeatedly warned the Government that the issue of liability for damage caused by GM crops is completely unresolved. Incidents like this are bound to happen again if the headlong rush to commercial development of GM crops continues.”
See the new Friends of the Earth briefing 'Contaminated GM Crops: The 'accidental' release of GM oilseed rape into the UK countryside'.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
