Any sale of the genetically-modified rape seed released by the company Advanta would be illegal under UK and EU regulations, the pressure group claims. And it has set the government a seven-day deadline before taking court action. Greenpeace insists that in this time, farmers who inadvertently sowed seeds contaminated with GM material must be informed that selling on the crops would be illegal. The contamination, which was uncovered last week, resulted in 30,000 acres on 600 farms across the UK being planted with GM seed, derived from supplies produced by the Advanta company and imported from Canada. Enough is enough.
Decisive action is well overdue.
Relevant European and national legislation is clear that any sale of unapproved GM crops such as the GM oilseed rape is illegal. He said the government should ensure the crops are destroyed and compensate the farmers affected. The threat of legal action came as allegations emerged that the UK's maize crop may also be contaminated by GM material. French suppliers to UK farmers have admitted they cannot guarantee their seed is free of GM material. But Agriculture Minister Nick Brown has played down the controversy.