Three more sites in Warwickshire are to take part
in GM crop trials, it has been announced.
The Government said that farms in Harbury, near
Leamington, as well as Long Marston and Alderminster, both south of
Stratford, will be taking part in the latest rounds of experiments.
Winter testing will see GM oil-seed rape planted
at 25 locations around Britain in the latest series involving
genetically-modified crops.
Previous tests have seen crops damaged by
protesters and there has been intensive campaigning in the national
media to stop the trials.
Tory Euro-MP Philip Bushill-Matthews is on the
Environment Committee in the European Parliament and has visited
several GM sites.
He said that the crop trials are ‘more
eco-friendly’ than traditional farming methods.
The MEP lives in Harbury, close to one of the new
sites announced this week. But he has no fears over living close to
the controversial location. He said:.
“The issue is that GM crops are good for farms,
but also good for the counsumers like me and you.
“These crops need much less spraying and less
toxic chemicals which has has got to be good for the environment. It
means there are less pesticides and toxins in the air and the water.
“People do have fears of the unknown and I
think it should all be out in the open with nothing to hide.
“We are a democratic country and it is right
these details are available. I have spent a lot of time with farmers
and I think these trials should go ahead"
He said it was best that the details were out in
the open, otherwise it would force the trial details to be hidden and
kept secret.
But a Friends of the Earth spokesman said the
public did not want further GM tests which polluted the country.
Chris Crean, Midlands officer, said the group
could not support further testing.
He said it did not matter how large the buffer
zones were around the sites, they were inadequate to stop
contamination of nearby organic or non-GM farms.
Tests had shown that bees can travel up to 4.5km
so the size of buffer zones being used were pointless.
