This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Autumn GM crop trials to go ahead
09/09/2002
Approval for the autumn round of GM crop trials at two
farms in Scotland has been given by Scottish Ministers
after careful re-examination of independent tests that
found no unauthorised contaminants in samples of seeds to
be planted.
Ministers recognise that public confidence in GM seed
purity has been dented by recent incidents and therefore
sought the strongest guarantees possible on the accuracy of
the independent test results carried out on Aventis's
autumn seed stocks before the trial could go ahead in
Aberdeenshire and Fife.
The Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) was
asked to re-examine thoroughly the testing methodology used
by the laboratory which undertook the tests, and the
results it produced.
The laboratory was also asked by SASA to review its
results. Following this further work, it has proved
possible to verify the level of confidence in the accuracy
of the test results and give a greater degree of comfort to
the public.
The tests that were conducted concluded that there was
no unauthorised GM material present in the samples. The
laboratory has now been able to verify that PCR tests which
were conducted on the seeds had a greater than 99%
probability of the seed being free from unapproved GM
events if 0.1% of such material had been present.
This represents a level of accuracy well beyond the
established standards used in the industry.
As part of the process, 1,000 individual seedlings were
germinated so that tests could be conducted on them. None
of the 1,000 seedlings were found to contain any
unauthorised GM material. These results allow the
conclusion to give confidence that the PCR results were
accurate.
The conclusion to be drawn from the further work
required by Scottish Ministers is that the public can be
very confident that for these autumn varieties Aventis have
provided seed lots which are free of unauthorised
contaminants.
After considering the results of this additional further
work the Executive has given approval for planting of GM
trials to proceed at two Scottish farms this autumn. The
two sites will complete the three year farm scale
evaluation programme in Scotland.
Permission for the trials has been given after detailed
scientific advice was received that concluded that the crop
involved would not pose a threat to the environment or to
people living near the two trial sites.
Although these trials are not about crop safety (which
has already been established to the satisfaction of all the
regulatory authorities), the scientific data which is being
collected will help inform future decisions about whether
these crops should be permitted to be grown commercially.
Ministers have stressed that, with the agreement of the
industry, there will be no commercial plantings of GM crops
in Scotland at least until the farm scale evaluation
programme has been completed and the results assessed.
The approved sites are:
Grid Reference Nearest village
Location
NJ 751 305 Daviot Aberdeenshire
NO 429 252 Newport-on-Tay Fife
The farm-scale evaluation programme is designed to study
the effect, if any, on farmland wildlife of cultivating GM
crops in comparison with conventional crops. It is not
intended to assess the safety of the GM crop which has
already been established through years of rigorous safety
tests required by the strict European regulatory framework.
Scottish Ministers will only grant approval to release a
particular GM crop if its safety has been established to
the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities.
The growing of these crops will take place under closely
supervised and regulated conditions. The variety of GM
oilseed rape has been grown previously in Scotland both
under research conditions and on earlier farm trials.
Although no detrimental effects have emerged in over 10
years of growing the crop, should any potentially harmful
effects be identified the trials will be stopped and the
crops destroyed.
Detailed independent scientific advice has concluded
that the crop involved does not pose a threat to the
environment or to people living near the two trial sites.
That advice was provided by Scottish Natural Heritage, the
Health & Safety Executive, the Advisory Committee on
Releases to the Environment and the Food Standards Agency.
The advice was supported by individual site assessments
conducted by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency.
The Executive announced on July 8 that the two proposed
sites had been notified for autumn plantings. In the period
since that announcement, the Executive has sought the views
of the expert advisory bodies on the proposal and has
ensured that everyone with an interest was aware of the
proposals and had the opportunity to comment if they
wished. Although a number of objections were received from
members of the public, these did not raise issues which
have not been considered by the regulatory authorities and
did not cast doubt over their safety assessment.
Ministers recognise that some people have concerns over
the possibility of detrimental impacts on the environment
during the trials. The potential for harm is considered
carefully as part of the regulatory process and Ministers
are satisfied by the advice of experts who, on the basis of
their professional knowledge, have affirmed the trials to
be safe.
No commercial GM crops will be grown in the UK at least
until completion of these farm-scale evaluations. The
autumn 2002 crops will be harvested in late summer 2003 and
will complete the programme. Without the trials decisions
would need to be taken about the possible commercialisation
of GM crops without key factual evidence relevant to that
decision. Ministers take the view that decisions should be
informed by fact rather than speculation.
The independent testing of the autumn seed was conducted
by the Central Science Laboratory in York. Samples of the
seed were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
testing and then further "growing out" studies for the
presence of unauthorised GM material. The results have
concluded that only the genetically modified material
consistent with the consent is present in the seed.
The CSL conclusions reflect results which Aventis has
itself conducted on its products. A report summarising the
test procedures and the results obtained is available on
the website of the Central Science Laboratory and can be
viewed at
www.csl.gov.uk