www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Scientists from the Central Science Laboratory have published research which
they claim suggests current separation distances between GM rape and
conventional rape keeps cross-pollination within EU limits, October 2005 by
Isabel Davies.

The researchers carried out their study during the Farm Scale Evaluations
and found that oilseed rape from fields grown 50m from GM varieties met the
EU threshold for GM content for food of 0.9% GM.

This was except for varietal association oilseed rape, which scientists said
was likely to exceed this threshold at 50m.

The researchers found that cross pollination of conventional crops decreased
rapidly with distance from the GM plots.

But they said that rare pollination events could occur at up to 200m from
the GM crop.

Leader of the research Dr Christine Hendry said: ?Our statistical models
based on results from this research confirm that when fields of conventional
rape are isolated from GM crops by the industry?s recommended separation
distances, harvested seed is likely to be acceptable with respect to the EU
thresholds for food.

?However, as was expected, to achieve a lower level of GM presence, for
example 0.1%, then larger separation distances are required.?

The CSL work will be used to inform on-going discussions within DEFRA about
separation distances.

The government has separately commissioned NIAB to produce a report on crop
separation distances for maize and oilseed rape.

On the basis of the NIAB results, DEFRA plans to issue a consultation paper
on the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops.

But while CSL based their statistical work on a 95% confidence interval,
DEFRA has asked NIAB to use a more precautionary 98% interval for their
report.

This means that the figures should ensure that cross-pollination is within
the specified threshold at least 98 times out of 100.

?It is anticipated that this difference will produce proposed separation
distances that are appreciably longer than those indicated by the CSL
study,? said DEFRA.

[www.fwi.co.uk]

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