Another farmer halts GM trials

Nottinghamshire farmer David Rose has caused a further crisis for the Government over genetically modified (GM) food, by pulling out of the planned farm-scale trials programme. Rose was due to grow winter oilseed rape on behalf of GM company AgrEvo, but has pulled out of the 10-hectare trial following meetings with Friends of the Earth (FOE) and consultations with local people.

The news comes as Friends of the Earth has been granted permission to bring a judicial review against the Government over its decision to allow trials of winter oilseed rape, without a properly obtained consent under the EU Deliberate Release Directive. The case could delay the start of the farm-scale trials for at least a year.

Friends of the Earth Food Campaigner Adrian Bebb said: "Rose's decision, following detailed discussions with Friends of the Earth, is another hammer blow to the Government's GM testing programme. One of the four planned farm-scale trials will now have to be scrapped. The rest are likely to be delayed by FOE's court action. The GM trials are bad science. They threaten the environment. They have no public support. When will the Government and the biotech companies finally grasp that they are on a hiding to nothing?"