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

In 2005, farmers planted 222 million acres (90 million hectares) of
genetically modified crops in 21 countries, including five countries in the
European Union: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain,
November 2006.

While the United Kingdom government has determined there is no scientific
case for a blanket ban on GM crops, there are currently no commercialized GM
crops being grown in the country.

UK farmer Bob Fiddaman would like to see that change. Fiddaman participated
in Farm Scale Evaluation trials on oil seed rape. He hopes that the benefits
of biotechnology he witnessed on his farm will soon be commercially
available to UK farmers.

"The outcome ? as far as I was concerned ? was a benefit for the GM crop
because it gave a higher yield, and it was much easier to manage," says
Fiddaman, who has farmed for more than 40 years and currently grows wheat,
barley and field beans for animal feed on 1,300 acres (520 hectares).

In other European countries, farmers are utilizing genetically modified,
insect-protected (Bt) corn crops that contain a protein from Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt), which protects the plants from specific lepidopteron
insect pests. Bt corn has enabled Spanish farmers to reduce pesticide
applications, achieve 10 ? 15 percent higher yields, and increase gross
margins by 12 percent.

"We were getting anything from 10 to 15 percent increased yield from the GM
part of the crop," continues Fiddaman, referencing results from the field
scale trials on herbicide-tolerant oil seed rape conducted on his UK farm.
"Given the opportunity, I'd grow it tomorrow. The technology was that good."

Fiddaman discusses the benefits of biotechnology in an exclusive video and
podcast available at the Conversations about Plant Biotechnology. In
addition to Fiddaman?s video, visitors can view conversations with two of
his fellow European farmers ? Pedro Lerín and Ismael Purroy of Spain ? who
discuss the benefits of biotechnology in Europe.

www.checkbiotech.org

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