Fresh call to halt GM crops

Scotland had 17 of the 250 GM trials carried out in Britain

Campaigners in Scotland are calling for a halt to work on genetically modified crops after the release of findings from Britain's biggest GM crop trials.

Scientists said trials at sites in Scotland and England showed that growing herbicide-tolerant GM beet and spring rape was worse for the environment than conventional varieties of those crops.

However the reverse applied for a third crop - growing herbicide-tolerant GM maize was better than conventional maize for many types of wildlife, the scientists said.

The long-awaited findings are the outcome of a study launched three years ago and will be considered by government advisors who will then give ministers their conclusions.

Scottish Green Party environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said that even though the trials were "far too narrow" in their scope, the results pointed to major environmental problems.

"There is not a single argument left standing for GM, the public don't want it, the farmers are not backing it and a controversial research programme has now pointed to what we knew all along - that GM has an impact on the environment," Mr Ruskell said.

Scotland should never again be used as an open-air laboratory on behalf of the biotech industry Friends of the Earth Scotland

"The Scottish Executive has sat on the fence for far too long over GM.

"It's time they adopted the same strategy as the Welsh Assembly and call time on GM.

"We need to stop wasting time and money on GM and refocus on agriculture that can deliver healthy food in a healthy environment."

His views were echoed by Friends of the Earth Scotland, which said the executive now had "more than enough" evidence to call a halt to the commercialisation of GM crops.

FoE Scotland chief executive Duncan McLaren said: "Despite their limited focus, these trials have shown that GM oilseed rape and beet are guilty of causing more damage to the environment than conventional varieties.

"We believe that the executive now has enough reasons to prevent GM crops from being commercialised in Scotland.

'No decision yet'

He added: "If anything is to be learned from the way the whole GM affair has been handled, it is that Scotland should never again be used as an open-air laboratory on behalf of the biotech industry.

"The Scottish public neither wants GM in its mouths nor in its fields."

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said no decision had been taken on the future of GM crops.

"These were the most rigorous trials ever carried out in Europe and significantly improve the evidence base on which future decisions will be made," said a spokesman.

David Atkinson believes the integrity of Scottish agriculture is at stake

He added that it would be "premature" to make a decision on the possible commercialisation of GM crops before results of the evaluation programme were fully evaluated.

"The statutory Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (Acre) will advise us on the implications of the results for the case-by-case assessment of the relevant crops," he said.

"Stakeholders will have an opportunity to input to Acre's consideration, including at a meeting in Edinburgh on 4 December.

"If there is evidence of harm to human health or the environment of any GM crop it will not be approved for release."

Professor David Atkinson, vice-principal of the Scottish Agricultural College, said ensuring the integrity of the industry was the key consideration in deciding the way forward following the trials.

He said: "What this could mean is it could be helpful to us in boosting the image of Scottish food production, boosting the image of Scotland as a quality place to produce good, wholesome, healthy food.

"I actually believe it is upon that that the future of Scottish agricultural is going to be based."