Archived press release

GM crops can remain in environment for ten years - new report

2 April 2008

New research from Sweden published today [1] has found that GM crops can persist in the soil for ten years.

The research, which investigated the persistence of oilseed rape following a GM trial in 1995, found that despite intense efforts to eradicate the GM plants in following years, `volunteer' plants, growing from seeds in following years, were still detected ten years later.

This raises new questions over the Government's `coexistence' proposals [2] on the rules for growing GM crops alongside conventional and organic crops in the UK. Proposals for England set no separation time between growing a GM crop and growing a non-GM crop.

Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:

"This study should raise alarm bells about what the Government's reckless proposals for growing GM crops could mean for the future of GM free food and farming. Despite the best efforts by the researchers to eliminate GM oilseed rape, it appears that once it is planted, it is virtually impossible to prevent GM contamination of future crops."

"The Government must now tear up its weak proposals for the `coexistence' of GM with organic and conventional crops and put in place tough rules that protect GM free food and farming. It must also urgently extend the scope of new Environmental liability Laws to force biotech companies to take responsibility for their crops and pay for any damage caused to the environment or farmers' livelihoods."

Notes

[1] The study is published in Biology letters, Wednesday 2 April 2008 and was carried out by Lund University in Sweden.

[2] `Coexistence' - how GM crops could be grown alongside conventional and organic crops - is a devolved issue in the UK and as yet no rules have been agreed. In England, Defra held a public consultation in 2006, over a year later it published the results - 85% of people opposed its proposals which would allow widespread contamination of non-GM and organic crops:

www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
anger_over_governmemt_gm_c_13112007.html

Northern Ireland followed a similar approach to Defra and consulted in 2006. Consultations in Wales and Scotland have yet to be issued.

No GM crops have been grown commercially in the UK, although trials, including of oilseed rape, have taken place.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust