United Kingdom
December 19, 2008
Conventional oilseed rape seed
that contained a low level of unapproved GM seed was sown at a
trial site in Somerset, an investigation by
Defra's GM Inspectorate
has shown. The GM seed was of a type that is approved for import
and food and animal feed use in the European Union, but not for
cultivation. No GM material has entered the food chain.
The seed harvested from this trial, and an adjacent trial of
spring oil seed rape, has been identified and is now being
securely stored while the GM Inspectorate continues its
investigation. None of the seed has been transported onwards to
other destinations and the investigation has confirmed no other
oilseed rape crops were grown in the vicinity at the time of the
trial.
In September 2008 Defra was informed that a low level of genetic
modification was detected in experimental seed of a new variety
of winter oilseed rape entered in National List trials. This was
detected before any of the National List trials were sown but a
commercial trial involving seed of the same origin had been sown
in Scotland. The case in Somerset has been identified as a
result of a tracing exercise carried out after this initial
discovery.
BACKGROUND
National Listing is a statutory requirement and prerequisite
for the legal marketing of seeds of the main agricultural
species.
The trial was carried out in Somerset in 2007/08. The size of
the trial site was about 0.9ha, and the seed that was planted
had a low level presence of the GM herbicide-tolerant oilseed
rape line GT73.
Tests indicated this to be at a level of 0.05 per cent. GT73 is
authorised for imported food and animal feed use in Europe. |
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