Where have all the GM trials gone?
crop geek | 14.04.2004 11:36 | Bio-technology
Hot on the heals of Bayer's withdrawal of Chardon LL GM maize comes yet another confirmation that all is not well for the UK GM crops industry. For the first time in over 10 years, research reveals that none of the Gene Giants (Syngenta, Monsanto and Bayer) are conducting any UK field trials of GM crops.
This year sees a massive reduction in the total number of GM field trials in the UK from a peak of 159 in 2000-2001 to 42 in 2002-2003 to just 1 in 2003-2004.
This may have something to do with the fact that 91 trials out of 476 have been damaged or destroyed in the last five years. This has had a significant impact on the industry because the majority of those targeted were the national seedlisting trials, which are compulsory for the seed licensing process .
This year sees a massive reduction in the total number of GM field trials in the UK from a peak of 159 in 2000-2001 to 42 in 2002-2003 to just 1 in 2003-2004.
This may have something to do with the fact that 91 trials out of 476 have been damaged or destroyed in the last five years. This has had a significant impact on the industry because the majority of those targeted were the national seedlisting trials, which are compulsory for the seed licensing process .
victory (for now...)
Hot on the heals of Bayer's withdrawal of Chardon LL GM maize comes yet another confirmation that all is not well for the UK GM crops industry. For the first time in over 10 years none of the Gene Giants (Syngenta, Monsanto and Bayer) are conducting any UK field trials of GM crops.
Bayer CropScience halted their UK field trials in autumn 2003 because the government refused to let them conceal the locations. It was expected that Syngenta (working in conjunction with Monsanto) would plant R&D trials of their #77 sugar beet this spring. In 2003 Syngenta notified DEFRA of their test site locations by mid February, but as of early April 2004 no notification of trial locations for this year has been received.
Several GM crops companies have crops with active consents for trials in 2004 but as yet it appears that only one trial notification has been received by DEFRA. This is a research and development trial of GM peas by John Innes Centre in Norwich, (TG 180070). This is the second year of a two year trial. More information on this trial from
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/trials.htm
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/consents/pdf/03-r29-04.pdf
This year sees a massive reduction in the total number of GM field trials in the UK from a peak of 159 in 2000-2001 to 42 in 2002-2003 to just 1 in 2003-2004.
Year Total GM field trials
2003-4 1
2002-3 42
2001-2 140
2000-1 159
1999-2000 134
Overall 91 trials out of 476 have been damaged or destroyed in the last five years. This has had a significant impact on the industry because the majority of those targeted were the national seedlisting trials, which are compulsory for the seed licensing process .
Information taken from http://www.geneticsaction.org.uk/testsites/
This story, was the result of independent research carried out by activists, which has now reahced the pages of the mainstream press: http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1192043,00.html
This news and other genetics stuff will all be in the fantastic new edition of the (mostly) good news edition of the 'Genetix Update'. Available at www.geneticsaction.org.uk , or you can request a paper copy via
info@togg.org.uk
Bayer CropScience halted their UK field trials in autumn 2003 because the government refused to let them conceal the locations. It was expected that Syngenta (working in conjunction with Monsanto) would plant R&D trials of their #77 sugar beet this spring. In 2003 Syngenta notified DEFRA of their test site locations by mid February, but as of early April 2004 no notification of trial locations for this year has been received.
Several GM crops companies have crops with active consents for trials in 2004 but as yet it appears that only one trial notification has been received by DEFRA. This is a research and development trial of GM peas by John Innes Centre in Norwich, (TG 180070). This is the second year of a two year trial. More information on this trial from
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/trials.htm http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/consents/pdf/03-r29-04.pdf This year sees a massive reduction in the total number of GM field trials in the UK from a peak of 159 in 2000-2001 to 42 in 2002-2003 to just 1 in 2003-2004.
Year Total GM field trials
2003-4 1
2002-3 42
2001-2 140
2000-1 159
1999-2000 134
Overall 91 trials out of 476 have been damaged or destroyed in the last five years. This has had a significant impact on the industry because the majority of those targeted were the national seedlisting trials, which are compulsory for the seed licensing process .
Information taken from
http://www.geneticsaction.org.uk/testsites/ This story, was the result of independent research carried out by activists, which has now reahced the pages of the mainstream press:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1192043,00.html This news and other genetics stuff will all be in the fantastic new edition of the (mostly) good news edition of the 'Genetix Update'. Available at www.geneticsaction.org.uk , or you can request a paper copy via
info@togg.org.uk
crop geek
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
I wiah I were as sure of that as you are
14.04.2004 12:18
THESE are the sorts of questions you had better answer before you declare victory. It MAY be that ways have been found around making it easy for you to discover testing sites.
Mike
e-mail:
stepbystepfarm mtdata.com
people are told if...
14.04.2004 19:46
commenter
requirements to notify public about field trials
20.04.2004 15:50
The reality has been that for the last 5 years, a number of activists have kept a very close watch on what trials have been carried out in the UK. Some of us have been sad enough to spend significant qauntitiies of our lives reading the public register (kept in London) to make sure we know what is going one. In addition a question is asked anually in the House of Commons about the location of trial sites. In the past we have found inaccuracies with the public register but this has got better over the years. As civil servants have realised this area is a carefully watched area the quality of information form companies has improved (although your right you can never be certain).
Margret Beckett Secretary of State for DEFRA has always insited that companies provide 6 figure grid refrences. She claims this is so the Bee keepers and organic farmers of England have a right to be informed. To this end Bayer pulled out of trials last autumn. No other EU country gives this level of information, their 'location' information tends to extend to counties or regions. The precise meaning of 'location' is not specificed in EU laws.
That said, once a GM crop becoems 'commercialised' and is no longer so closely regulated the public have little right to information about GM crop locations, however we are working on it.....
becky
e-mail:
becky@genewatch.org