UK Government: Damage to GM maize national list ...
COMTEX Newswire
NOV 10, 2000, M2 Communications - The NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural
Biotechnology) have notified MAFF of damage to a national list trial of GM
forage maize taking place in Somerset. The damage was caused by cattle straying
onto the site in October. There is no evidence that the cattle ate any of the
maize.
Sheridan - the maize in question - has full approval under European GM
legislation to be marketed for both animal and human food use.
The undamaged maize at the site has since been harvested.
Notes to Editors
1. National Listing is a requirement of EC Directives, aimed at ensuring that
only seed meeting certain minimum quality standards is sold to farmers.
Statutory tests and trials are required to show that varieties are distinct,
uniform and stable and, for agricultural species, have a value for cultivation
and use. In essence, new varieties must show improved performance over varieties
already on the National List. It is an offence to sell seed unless the variety
is included in the UK National List or the EC Common Catalogue. The EC Common
Catalogue is an amalgam of Member States' National List.
2. Sheridan is a genetically modified forage maize that contains the same
genetic construct (conferring herbicide tolerance) as Chardon LL. Sheridan
therefore has a full part C marketing consent under 90/220/EEC, including use as
animal feed, as well as approval under the Novel Foods Regulation. There is no
health or safety issue.
Animal feed that potentially contains GM material is already imported into the
UK in substantial volumes.
3. NIAB is MAFF's National List trials co-ordinator.
4. The trial site contained three GM plots along with further plots of
conventionally bred control varieties. Each GM plot measured 3m by 12m.
5. VCU trials are normally conducted over two years at several sites in the UK.
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