Side Event

The UK GM Crop Farm-Scale Evaluations

Organizer
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (UK)

Date and Time
23 February 2004 13:15 - 14:45

Meeting
First meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BS COP MOP 1)

<p>Presented by: Dr Nick Brickle<br> Chemical and GM policy Division<br> UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>The UK GM-crop farm-scale evaluations were a four-year programme of studies aimed at investigating the impact of the management of four types of GM herbicide tolerant crops on farmland wildlife. They are the largest such studies ever conducted. </p><p>The first set of results were published on 16th October 2003 and are available from <a href=http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/fse>www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/fse</a>. The results showed that wildlife was affected by the way the crops were managed. In two out of the three crops tested there was less wildlife associated with the GM crop management and in one case there was more. The effects were not, however, directly related to whether the crops were genetically modified but rather were attributable to the particular use of herbicides on the crops. </p><p>The results will be used to guide the UK decision on the commercialisation of the particular crops in the UK. The results have also raised the issue of environmental protection in farmland more generally, with wider reaching implications. </p>