Illegal GM crops are found in Scotland

GRAEME SMITH September 13 2008

The Herald – UK

Fields of oilseed rape in Scotland have been destroyed after it was discovered that the experimental seeds which had been sown were contaminated with unauthorised genetically modified material.

The unauthorised GM material was contained among seeds of a new variety of oilseed rape from North America.

All new varieties must undergo strict quality control tests which are carried out in trials by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB).

The new seeds were due to be sown at trial sites across the UK but had only been sown at two sites in Aberdeenshire and one near Arbroath before the blunder was discovered.

The Scottish Government, which supports a ban on GM crops across Europe, says the situation is contained and there are no risks to human or animal health or to the environment.

Michael Russell, the Minister for Environment, said: "Had these plants been allowed to mature, the risk to the environment could have been serious. However, prompt action by the Scottish Government is ensuring that the situation is remedied.

"This further emphasises the continuing need for rigorous controls on GM material and for Scotland to remain a GM crop-free zone.

"The Scottish Government is working with stakeholders to understand how this occurred and to ensure that it never happens again."

But Pete Riley, of the GM Freeze Campaign, called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident and urged that seed import controls were introduced.

There have been two previous UK contamination incidents. In 2000, the UK Government admitted that Advanta Seeds had imported a contaminated oilseed rape variety which had been identified as a result of checks in Germany.

Farmers who had inadvertently planted the seeds found they had no market for their oilseed rape and were compensated by Advanta.

In August 2002, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) revealed that GM oilseed rape seed being grown in the government-sponsored Farm Scale Evaluations contained an unauthorised GM trait.

Mr Riley said: "The relevant authorities need to move quickly to investigate this incident and identify where procedures could be improved to prevent it happening again. They need to play particular attention to the country of origin of this seed and review whether it is sensible to take seed from there.

"The implication of widespread GM contamination of oilseed rape crops are enormous both economically and, potentially, for public health."

Becky Price of GeneWatch UK said that it was important for the UK government to tighten the protocols to ensure GM contamination was avoided because not enough is known about the impacts on the environment.

"We would call for stronger regulation to ensure both GM crops and food do not contaminate non-GM crops and food because as well as the environmental aspects there are health issues," she said.

"We are strongly opposed to a proposal before the European Commission to allow a certain amount of unauthorised GMO to enter the food chain. The laws in Europe should not be changed and we have to continue to question the international rules which have been set up to keep GM and non-GM food and crops separate."

theherald.co.uk