October 13, 2003

 

 

Approved Commercial Production of GM Crops in UK Will Be Made Known This Thursday

 

Environmental campaigners, farmers and biotech firms are stepping up on the publication of research that could determine the future of genetically modified crops in Britain.

 

Test results from controversial 3-year farm-scale trials of GM crops are due to be revealed in a series of papers printed in an independent scientific journal on Thursday.

 

The findings of the trials are likely to have a huge influence on the Government's final decision on whether to approve the commercial production of GM crops in the UK.

 

Ever since the trials were set up by they have been steeped in controversy. Anti-GM campaigners have held protests at fields and farms where the trials were taking place and some have even attempted to sabotage the crops.

 

Others have criticised the "narrow" focus of the trials, which did not investigate worries over "cross-pollination" of GM crops and normal plants.

 

Among the critics has been former Environment Minister Michael Meacher. He had resigned his post in a Cabinet re-shuffle earlier this year, and has been a strong supporter of the green lobby.

 

He commented yesterday that a decision by the EU to ban a weed killer called atrazine meant that the result of trials on GM maize, which is among those due to be published on Thursday, were now invalid.

 

The trials compared the effects on the environment of weed killers used in GM farming with those herbicides used to spray the conventional versions of the same crops.

 

Reports have suggested that this week's findings would show herbicides used with two of the three GM crops tested - oilseed rape and sugar beet - were more damaging to insects and plants than the "conventional" weed killers.

 

But it was anticipated that the results for GM maize would clear the way for commercial production of the crop on the grounds that its weed killer was less damaging to the environment. According to Mr Meacher, the trial made its comparisons using atrazine, exposing the errors of the test.
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