Farmers plea on modified crops

25 June 1998

Farmers’ plea on modified crops

FARMERS called on the Government to set up an official body to monitor genetically-modified crops and advise on policy.

Tim Bennett, deputy president of the National Farmers Union of England and Wales, said it should be built into the Governments proposed Food Standards Agency to “consider the broader implications of genetic modification”.

Mr Bennett told the committee investigating European Union regulation of genetic modification in agriculture, that all new developments should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The NFU also wanted restrictions on information given to the public about trial sites for such crops “in the light of attacks by environmental campaigners”.

Under EU and Government rules, all trial sites are published in advance. The Department of the Environment has also issued a full list of sites on the Internet.

• Financial Times 25/06/98 page 6