Experts tally GM losses

The EU must decide if farmers who destroy GM crops can still receive subsidies

Agricultural and insurance experts are to begin assessing the financial losses suffered by farmers who unknowingly sowed genetically modified seeds.

The UK arm of the Canadian seed company Advanta, which sold the oil seed rape to the farmers, finally bowed to external pressure by offering compensation on Friday.

The size of the payout will depend on whether farmers can still claim European Union subsidies if they destroy their contaminated crops.

Advanta UK has not accepted legal liability for the contaminated crops, which are believed to cover thousands of hectares of land in Scotland.

The Lincolnshire-based company has told the 600 British farmers who cultivated the crops that they should destroy them.

'Fair and equitable'

Independent farming experts and loss adjustors from the National Farmers' Union will now be employed to work out what it calls "a fair and equitable settlement".

The assessors are to meet over the next few weeks to work out how much farmers have lost.

The European Commission is also due to meet next week to decide whether farmers who destroy the crops before they're harvested can still receive the payments.

In a statement issued on Friday, the seed company said: "Advanta is making this gesture, not because of any liability, but because it has always, and continues, to put the interests of its merchants and the farmer customers first.

"The event emphasises the need for urgent government action on seed purity thresholds for GM impurities, co-ordinated at national level."

Advanta UK's agreement to pay compensation is expected to increase pressure on all seed suppliers to do what they can to ensure that their seeds are GM-free.