Agrochemical company seeks approval for genetically modified potato trial

Agrochemical company BASF has applied to site a genetically modified potato trial in Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire site which will test the effectiveness of the GM potato’s resistance against UK strains of late potato blight has been proposed as a replacement for one that had been due to go ahead in Derbyshire this spring.

But that venture fell through when the host farm in Derbyshire pulled out in December 2006.

The new site in Yorkshire will now have to undergo an approval procedure with DEFRA.

This has begun with the department calling for any interested parties to make representations about “the risk of environmental damage posed by the GM trial”.

“The deadline for representations is 20 April 2007. The new location is in the District of East Yorkshire, at ordnance survey grid reference TA1729,” a DEFRA official said.

 “The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) has made an initial assessment of this proposed change in location,” he added.

“It has provisionally concluded that the trials do not raise any safety concerns for human health and the environment.”

“BASF will be informing the relevant local authority in Yorkshire about the proposed GM trial in its area and had already placed an advert in The Times to highlight the new trial location.

“But the advert had referred to the wrong location,” the official admitted.

“BASF will be placing an amended advert highlighting correct site details in The Times on 28 February,” he said. 

Details of the proposed new trial site and an invitation to make public representations can be found on DEFRA’s website.

And the original consent granted to BASF for the GM potato trials can be read here.