Government to back GM use

Sunday, 21 September 2003 6:16 AM

The Government is expected to adopt European Union proposals that permit the commercial growing of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Ministers are expected to support plans to outlaw GM-free agricultural zones and permit the "co-existence" of GM alongside conventional crops.

The story was broke by The Sunday Times which printed leaked communications between ministers.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett wrote on September 5 letter to Cabinet colleagues that she would support the plans at a meeting of EU agriculture ministers at the end of the September.

She wrote: "I am proposing that we broadly support the (European) Commission's guidelines as providing a reasonable basis to address the issue.

"Co-existence measures should be developed and implemented by member states because farming patterns across the EU are so diverse."

The news comes ahead of the publication next month of the long-awaited results of GM crop trials in Britain by The Royal Society.

Meanwhile, The Royal Society itself has caused a storm by refusing to publish a crucial report on the GM tests.

The scientific body is due to publish its long awaited results of farm-scale tests on three GM crops - GM maize, oilseed rape and sugar beet - on 16 October.

The results are expected to show that GM crops harm wildlife.

But the Society has rejected one of the scientific reports, fuelling suggestions that body is biased in favour of GM foods.

Tags: