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