GM trial 'no threat to organic centre'

Researchers fear cross-pollination with GM crops

By BBC News Online's environment correspondent Alex Kirby

The UK Government says trials of genetically modified (GM) crops will not compromise a nearby organic research centre.

Environmentalists say the GM maize trial, due to begin this week in Warwickshire, could have "truly catastrophic" effects on organic agriculture in the UK.

The Independent on Sunday reported that Environment Minister Michael Meacher had made a last-minute bid to stop the trial.

But an official from Mr Meacher's Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) told the BBC News Online it had known of concerns about a possible risk for at least 10 days.

The GM maize at Wolston should not affect the organic status of the sweetcorn grown at the Henry Doubleday Research Centre.

DETR official

It said it believed the chance of the GM plants cross-pollinating organic crops was "likely to be zero" and said it had not concealed the trials at all.

They involve the planting of herbicide-tolerant GM maize on a farm at Wolston, Warks.

The farm is nearly three kilometres (two miles) from Ryton Organic Gardens, a highly respected organic research centre near Coventry.

Important seed bank

The centre is run by the Henry Doubleday Research Association, and conducts trials on organic crops for the European Union and the UK Government. It also houses an important organic seed bank.

A report in the Independent on Sunday said environmentalists believed the GM trials could be "truly catastrophic" for organic agriculture, because the maize could cross-pollinate three crops of organic sweetcorn being grown at Ryton, and then contaminate the seed bank.

Mr Meacher is believed to want a halt to the trial

This would mean the centre losing its licence to grow organic crops, while contamination of the seeds would severely damage the bank.

The newspaper quotes Mr Meacher as admitting the Wolston trial was seen as "highly provocative".

He told the paper: "Clearly there has not been proper consideration of the impact of the choice on a highly prestigious organic research centre of this kind."

But BBC News Online has seen correspondence from one of Mr Meacher's officials specifically rejecting the concerns he is now voicing.

A member of DETR's Biotechnology Safety Unit replied on 26 April to a letter sent to Mr Meacher a week earlier by a concerned organic farmer, who feared the Wolston trial could "compromise the organic crops and seed bank" at Ryton.

The official wrote: "The GM maize at Wolston should not affect the organic status of the sweetcorn grown at the Henry Doubleday Research Centre.

'Status not in question'

"The organic status of plants other than sweetcorn and maize cultivated at Ryton should also not be in question.

"Our advice is that at a distance of two km the amount of cross-pollination between maize crops is likely to be zero.

"We understand that Ryton Organic Gardens are situated over three km from the GM maize site."

The letter also cites "internationally-recognised data on cross-pollination frequency (UK seeds regulations, EC Seeds Directive and OECD criteria) used to ensure high purity in the seed production industry.

These guidelines set out proposed separation distances between GM and non-GM crops.

In the specific case of maize, to ensure that seed stocks achieve 99.9% purity, a separation distance of 200 metres is required from any source of "contaminating" maize pollen.

The letter also says cross-pollination by bees is very rare when separation distances are 200m.

While Mr Meacher is quoted as regretting a lack of "proper consideration" of the impact of the choice of Wolston, his official says the information was released on 3 April.

The letter continues: "We wrote to local government offices, Warwickshire county council, Rugby borough council and also to Wolston parish council, enclosing a package of specific and background information, and offering officials to attend a local parish meeting called to provide information about the trials.

"We have also been in contact with the chief executive of the Henry Doubleday Research Association."