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GREENPEACE RESPONSE TO GM MAIZE APPROVAL

j | 16.01.2004 23:06 | Ecology | Globalisation | World

A government advisory body just said GM Maize was fine for commercialisation now. Greenpeace explains why thats bollocks here...

GM maize rubber stamp spells disaster for UK wildlife

The Government's statutory adviser, ACRE (the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment), has released its interpretation of the results of the GM crop farm-scale evaluations (FSEs).

These four-year tests examined the impact that growing GM crops in the UK might have on wildlife. They specifically compared damage to wildlife caused by weed control in GM crops fields, with weed control associated with conventional crops. In essence, the tests examined the impact of different chemical herbicide use, rather than the GM crops themselves.

ACRE advised Government that GM beet and oilseed rape could have a detrimental effect on wildlife if they were grown commercially in the UK.

However, ACRE also advised that GM maize would not adversely impact on the environment, if it was grown in the same way that it was during the farm-scale evaluations. ACRE's advice effectively gives GM maize approval for commercial use.

Commenting on the publication of ACRE's advice, Greenpeace campaigner Sarah North said:

"ACRE's advice on GM maize is bad for farmers, bad for the organic food industry and bad for our countryside. The only reason GM maize got through the British tests was because it's impact on wildlife was compared to that of conventional maize, which is managed using a chemical herbicide which is so toxic it's now been banned throughout Europe."

North continued, "If you compare one bad practice, with an even worse practice, of course the result is that the former looks better than the latter. It's like recommending a holiday in Baghdad on the basis that it might be safer than Chechnya."

j
- Homepage: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following comment

GM Maize - The true scandal is, Why do we grow maize in the UK?

20.02.2004 11:30

Maize, GM or otherwise is grown because farmers are paid £25 per hectare to grow it. It is not a crop of choice given our weather / irrigation patterns.

Another example of the madness of the CAP, like rape which the farmer gets £275 per hectare for, which is used to subsitute fats and oils used for soap and cosmetics which used to be obtained from the 3rd World.

Edward Teague
mail e-mail: et@shoppp.com
- Homepage: http://www.softwaresystemseurope.com


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