farmscale trials

UK government trials show GM crop bad news for the environment

Last edited 21 March 2005 at 9:00am
Oil seed rape

Oil seed rape

Today the government published the second set of results from the GM Farm Scale Evaluations (FSE) of Winter-Sown Oilseed Rape in the UK. The four-year study showed that compared to non-GM fields, growing GM Winter-Sown Oilseed Rape results in fewer numbers of broad-leaved weed seeds, which are a major source of food for farmland birds, half as many bees and two-thirds fewer butterflies.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, GM, GM crops, oilseed rape

The public interest Amicus coalition intervention in the WTO GM dispute - a summary

Last edited 27 May 2004 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
27 May, 2004

Summary

A coalition of 15 public interest groups from around the world, including Europe, North and South America and India (the Amicus Coalition ), have joined together to ensure the WTO hears the public's voice in the challenge by the US, Canada and Argentina over the European Union's de facto moratorium on the approval of genetically modified (GM) foods and crops.

Download the report:
Article tagged as: amicus coalition, animal feed, farmscale trials, GM, GM food, reports, WTO

Greenpeace response to the Environmental Audit Committee report: GM Food - Evaluating the Farm Scale Trials

Last edited 8 March 2004 at 9:00am
8 March, 2004

An influential committee of MPs has today announced that the Government should not commercialise GM maize on the basis of the results of the recent Farm Scale Evaluations (FSE). Amidst rumours that Tony Blair has already decided to give GM maize the go-ahead, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) unanimously agreed that the GM maize trials were "unsatisfactory, indeed invalid." They urge the Government to carry out further tests on GM maize, but this time comparing it to less intensive forms of farming like organic.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, GM food, press releases

Coexistence and Liability

Last edited 19 January 2004 at 9:00am

Last November, the Government's advisory body, the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC), published a report entitled "GM Crops - Coexistence and Liability".

This report examined whether GM crops might contaminate conventional and organic crops and/or the natural environment; if such contamination was acceptable and who would be liable to compensate for such damage?

The report has highlighted some serious problems regarding the commercialisation of GM crops, and found very few solutions.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, future of farming, GM, reports

GM maize rubber stamp spells disaster for UK wildlife

Last edited 13 January 2004 at 9:00am

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.

Article tagged as: ACRE, farmscale trials, GM crops, GM maize, press releases

GM crops need more pesticide

Last edited 3 December 2003 at 9:00am

Biotech companies have continually promised that genetically modified (GM) crops will benefit the environment. But now the countryside in the United States is suffering because of the rush to embrace GM.

A new study has revealed that pesticide use has increased by a massive 73 million pounds (33,112 metric tonnes) since US farmers started to grow GM crops commercially in 1996.

Article tagged as: agriculture, farmscale trials, GM, press releases

The politics of GM in the UK

Last edited 12 November 2003 at 9:00am

The results of the GM Public Debate (dubbed 'GM Nation?') sums up the UK public's essential rejection of GM. The government launched the 'GM Nation?' exercise amid allegations that Downing Street was ignoring huge public disquiet over the proposed genetic modification of food and crops. Over 37,000 people took part, with 86 per cent of people firmly opposing the growing GM crops in the UK.

We also did some polling and submitted our results to the GM Public Debate committee. Again there was an overwhelming rejection of GM.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, GM, GM jury, press releases

The politics of GM

Last edited 31 October 2003 at 9:00am

GM-o-Meter polling in London

GM-o-Meter polling in London

The results of the 'GM Nation?' debate show the essential rejection of GM. The government launched the 'GM Nation?' exercise amid allegations that Downing Street was ignoring huge public disquiet over the proposed genetic modification of food and crops. Over 37,000 people took part, with 86 percent of people stating an outright rejection of growing GM crops in the UK.

We did some polling of our own, and submitted our results to the GM Public Debate committee. Again there was an overwhelming rejection of GM.

The last major report on GM this year, the results of farm scale trials of GM crops, were published on 16 October. The trials only examined the effect of weedkillers on wildlife. The key issues of cross-pollination, contamination of the global food chain, gene transfer and effects on human health remain unexplored and will not be looked at by these trials.

A final commercialisation decision will be made in 2004, after the results of the Farm Scale Evaluations have been published.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, GM, hachette, polling

Close the door on GM crops

Last edited 16 October 2003 at 8:00am

The release today of the results of the Government's farm scale trial clearly show that Tony Blair should ban GM crops.

The trials did not even begin to address the possible catastrophic effects that GM could bring about. Yet even so, the results show that the alleged "benefits" of GM simply do not exist.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, GM crops, press releases

GM Campaign Archive: 2003 farm-scale trials

Last edited 16 October 2003 at 8:00am
16 October, 2003

UK research confirms that GM crops will harm the environment

In October 2003 a study published by the UK Royal Society substantiated Greenpeace's warnings that genetically modified (GM) crops can be harmful to the environment; this according to a three years study carried out by that independent scientific organisation. For years Greenpeace had warned about the risks GM crops pose to environment and challenged the benefit promises of industry as being myths.

Article tagged as: farmscale trials, future of farming, press releases