Farmers urged to make rogue seed claim
15 September 2000
Farmers urged to make rogue seed claim
BY FWI Staff
FARMERS who have not yet submitted compensation claims after unwittingly drilling genetically modified crops are being urged to do so.
Advanta Seeds, which earlier this year supplied hundreds of farmers with oilseed rape seed containing GM impurities, says it has traced the rogue batch.
The company says it has settled compensation payments with 80% of the 334 farmers. But the other 20% – about 67 producers – have not submitted claims.
Now the company is asking farmers to send in their claims so they can settle up and draw a line under the incident.
“We are waiting for farmers to get their claims in so we can bring the matter to a speedy conclusion,” said an Advanta spokesman. “The ball is in their court.”
Farmers who grew the crop south of a line between Newcastle and Carlisle were promised 337/ha. Producers north of the line were pledged 370/ha.
Advanta says a total of 5200ha (12,844acres) were affected.