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Gm giant clams up at seed hearing
3 October 2000
Biotech Giant Clams Up At GM Seed List Hearing
Friends of the Earth has written to Agriculture Secretary Nick Brown after "conflictingstatements" on GM trials at Hood Barton, Dartington, Devon in 1998. Information from thetrials of Chardon LL (a GM fodder maize) is being used to back an application to add thecrop to the National Seed List - the final legal hurdle before it can be commercially grownin the UK. The Government is currently hearing opposition to this proposal at a NationalSeed List Hearing which is expected to last 10 weeks.
In 1998 a trial of GM Chardon LL was destroyed by activists. At the time it was stated thatthe whole trial, and its results, had been lost. However, data from the site was used tosupport an application to have Chardon LL added to the National Seed List.
At today's hearing Peter Roderick, Legal Advisor at Friends of the Earth, attacked Aventis- the seed company seeking Chardon LL's addition to the National Seed List - for refusingto provide witnesses for cross-examination at the Hearing. He said:
"We will present our case scientifically, and we will argue rationally and legally. And we will,unlike Aventis, expose our case to cross-examination. It is hugely ironic that it is those ofus who have been accused of being unscientific and hysterical who are prepared to exposeour arguments to careful questioning and structured examination: whilst the first suchopportunity for the biotech industry in this country to do the same is flunked. Disdainfullyflunked."
Peter Roderick continued:
"Let me give a flavour of some of the questions that need to be answered. What went onat Dartington? How many trials were planted? One or two? What about the other trialcentres? And if there's two, how do you decide which ones the real National List Trial, andwhich one's the 'decoy'? And if the 'decoy' doesn't get damaged, how do you decide whichone to accept for decision-making purposes? Is there any valid consent for these secrettrials ? Or has there been a criminal offence in planting secretly? How come a companyemployee told the High Court on oath in 1998 that one of that year's trials was beingdiscontinued, but now we see no such thing?"
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
