High Court rules against organic farmer

10 July 1998

High Court rules against organic farmer

By FWi staff


ORGANIC farmer Guy Watson today lost his High Court bid to challenge the legality of trails of genetically-modified maize being grown near his property.

Mr Watson failed in his attempt to get a judicial review of the governments decision to allow trials of GM maize on a farm at Buckfastleigh, near Totnes, Devon.

Mr Watson runs the adjacent Wash Barn farm, which he converted to organic production several years ago. He claimed the government was allowing GM maize to be grown near his sweetcorn crop, in disregard of the law.

He feared cross-pollination from the maize to his own sweet corn crop would result in him losing his status as an organic farmer. He says his whole enterprise could be ruined.