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Gm trial farmer plants contaminated seed
20 June 2000
Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to abandon a GM farm scale trial site in Scotland after it was revealed that GM contaminated oilseed rape had been inadvertently planted as part of the experiment.
Two crops are supposed to be planted as part of the GM farm scale evaluations - one using GM crops, the other non-GM. However, the farm scale trial at Daviot in Scotland inadvertently planted oilseed rape contaminated with GMOs instead of a purely non-GM variety. The accidental GM planting has been modified to be resistant to a different type of pesticide than the GM oil seed rape which is being trialed. FOE fears that this may lead to the creation of GM resistant super weeds.
Adrian Bebb, Real food campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
"This farm scale trial was already a threat to the local environment but with the neighbouring crop also being genetically modified the risk is even greater. This is a recipe for superweeds to form in following years - resistant not to one but now to two herbicides. The UK Government must follow its own advice and destroy this crop before it flowers. Anything less would be highly irresponsible.”
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
