New GM trial sites announced
23 July 2001
New GM trial sites announced
By Tom Allen-Stevens
THE next phase of genetically modified crop sites in the Governments three-year farm-scale evaluation programme was announced on Monday (23 July).
There are 30 autumn-sown oilseed rape sites across England and Scotland, which will be planted with herbicide tolerant varieties.
Half of each site will be planted with GM oilseed rape with an equivalent non-GM variety in the other half.
The aim of the trials is to deliver information about the impact of crop management on both plants and insects.
Independent scientists will monitor each site for any differences in the abundance and diversity of farmland wildlife.
The trials will also quantify the pollen flow to allow precise management of the risk of cross fertilisation with neighbouring crops.
“The research is not about the safety of these GM crops,” said Roger Turner, chairman of the Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops.
“This has already been established after many years of testing in the laboratory, in greenhouses and in small-scale field plots.”
Around 6.6 million acres of gm oilseed rape was planted this year in Canada, of which 1.25 million acres are the same type as that being trialled in the UK.
The trial sites are listed in the table below:
Site Grid Reference | Parish | CountySK 586 706 |
Cuckney |
Nottinghamshire | SO 567 483 |
Felton |
Herefordshire | TF 940 250 |
Colkirk |
Norfolk | SJ 715 870 |
Lymm |
Cheshire | TM073 885 |
Banham |
Norfolk | SP 056 354 |
Buckland |
Gloucestershire | TM 099 872 |
Winfarthing |
Norfolk | TF 208 975 |
Thorganby |
Lincolnshire | TA 020 005 |
North Kelsey |
Lincolnshire | SK 968 913 |
Spital in the Street |
Lincolnshire | SJ 685 259 |
Hinstock |
Shropshire | TL 049 101 |
Great Gaddesden |
Hertfordshire | SY 677 845 |
Bincombe |
Dorset | SY 671 862 |
Bincombe |
Dorset | SP 151 489 |
Long Marston |
Warwickshire | NZ 198 371 |
Oakenshaw |
Durham |
SU 365 980 |
Hinton Waldrist |
Oxfordshire | TQ 878 399 |
Biddenden |
Kent | TF 198 985 |
Thorganby |
Lincolnshire | TF 211 890 |
Ludford |
Lincolnshire | SJ 398 275 |
Hordley |
Shropshire | NZ 132 134 |
Wycliffe with Thorpe |
Durham | NZ 133 108 |
Hutton Magna |
Durham | SP 038 369 |
Dumbleton |
Gloucestershire | SE 754 309 |
Howden |
East Riding of Yorkshire | TA 015 622 |
Nafferton |
East Riding of Yorkshire | |
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