Archived press release

Foe publishes GM test site list

1 June 1999

New research from Friends of the Earth has identified the location of every GM test site in the United Kingdom. There are 140 in all, with a further 8 awaiting consent to begin.

The number of sites has halved since last year. This follows an increase in local opposition to test sites, and a series of surveys showing that farmers don't want to plant GM crops.Consumer resistance has also led to supermarkets, food wholesalers, restaurants and fast food chains removing GM foods from sale. However, the test sites still pose a threat to neighbouring farms and the environment. The Government has also approved 7 farm-scale plantings, which are much larger than other test sites.

The figures for each region are as follows:

South West 5
- Gloucestershire 3
- Somerset 1
- Wiltshire 1
South East 8
- Bracknell Forest 2 (and 2 awaiting consent)
- Hampshire 6
- Oxfordshire 2 (and 1 awaiting consent)
Midlands 23
- Derbyshire 1 (and 1 awaiting consent)
- Leicestershire 2 (and 1 awaiting consent)
- Lincolnshire 8
- Nottinghamshire 5
- Wrekin 4
- Worcestershire 3
Eastern 71
- Cambridgeshire 39 (and 3 awaiting consent)
- Essex 1
- Hertfordshire 4
- Norfolk 19
- Peterborough 2
- Suffolk 6
Yorkshire & Humberside 15
- Leeds 7
- NE Lincolnshire 6
- North Yorkshire 2
Scotland 16
- Aberdeen City 2
- Aberdeenshire 9
- Midlothian 5
TOTAL 140 (and 8 awaiting consent)

The top four companies involved in testing are:

* AgrEvo 28 sites
* Plant Genetic Systems (owned by AgrEvo) 16
* Monsanto 25 (and 5 awaiting consent)
* Novartis 17

The top crops being tested are oilseed rape (80 sites) and sugar or fodder beet (54 sites).Other crops include maize, wheat and potatoes.

129 of the 140 crops being tested are herbicide resistant. FOE has argued that such crops may simply encourage use of more or more powerful herbicides, damaging to biodiversity and the environment.

On Thursday 20th May, FOE revealed that the Department of Environment had wrongly identifed two test sites as being in the North Sea! One (an AgrEvo site for sugarbeet) was placed by the DETR's official website as 54km off the Norfolk coast, and another (a John Innes Centre site for barley) was placed 36km off the Norfolk coast. FOE can today reassure the public that both sites are in fact safely on dry land.

Commenting, Friends of the Earth food campaigner Adrian Bebb said;

"The GM testing programme is in crisis, as farmers join consumers and indeed the Prince of Wales in refusing to touch the stuff with a barge pole. But 140 test sites remain, threatening local farms and the environment. When will the Government finally move on the GM issue, and back calls for a five year freeze until decent scientific research can be completed and assessed?"

Full details of the test sites are available from Friends of the Earth and will be posted on www.foe.co.uk/realfood/genetictestsites

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust