Further GM errors revealed

Thousands of acres may have been sown and harvested

Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie has confirmed that GM seed was mistakenly sown and harvested in Scotland last year.

The news comes as EU commissioners agree to let farmers plough up crops sewn this year without affecting their eligibility for aid payments.

The issue of last year's crop was raised by Scottish National Party MSP Dorothy Grace Elder at Question time in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Finnie said it was a highly regrettable situation of which the Scottish Executive had no knowledge.

Ross Finnie: "Regrettable situation"

The minister told the parliament that seed from Advanta Seeds UK, a subsidiary of a Canadian seed company, were produced in 1998 and sold and sown in Scotland in both 1999 and 2000.

The seeds were accidentally imported and sold in Britain where the commercial growing and sale of GM crops are prohibited.

Mr Finnie has been extremely critical of Advanta during the current crisis over the planting of GM contaminated crops.

Last month he advised farmers who had accidentally planted the seed to destroy the crops and seek compensation from the firm, which has since agreed to make the payments.

Mr Finnie said: "The 1999 crop will, of course, have been harvested.

'No added risk'

"While this is, of course regrettable, I should remind this parliament that the Food Standards Agency is satisfied there is no added risk to public health and similarly the preliminary view of the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs is that there is no added risk from feeding material to animals from this contaminated seed."

Ms Elder said: "This is absolutely shocking. It is even more shocking than what we learned last week.

"We now know that almost double the number of hectares were planted with GM seeds in 1999 and harvested.

EU go-ahead

"That material is now in the food chain for both animals and humans."

Commenting on the decision by Brussels to allow farmers to destroy GM contaminated crops, Mr Finnie said: "I am delighted with this news.

"This is a big step forward for farmers who have grown contaminated oilseed rape unknowingly."

A spokesman for the National Farmers Union Scotland welcomed the ruling, saying it would lessen the severity of some of the affected farmers' losses.