Environmentalists slam GM crop test cuts
09 October 1998
Environmentalists slam GM crop test cuts
ENVIRONMENTAL have campaigners attacked Government plans to halve the field trials required for genetically modified (GM) crops.
The Ministry of Agriculture said seed companies now need only two years of official tests to establish the standard and safety of new products.
It plans to abolish requirements for manufacturers to conduct at least two trials over two years. The department recently admitted it had not been enforcing the rules for non-genetically modified seeds for years.
Friends of the Earth said the decision was “unfortunate and shortsighted” when so little was known about genetically modified crops.
About 200 types of non-genetically modified seeds have been given approval without going through the full procedure. The Government said it was changing its stance because “it had no value whatsover and was not enforced.”