Anti-GM campaigners will go to court in London today in a bid to make the government reveal the location of an illegally-planted field they say might have contaminated crops in Dorset. Protesters hope to discover the whereabouts of a field in Somerset where an unauthorised crop of genetically modified oilseed rape was planted in 2008.
In December that year, Defra announced a nearby crop was contaminated by cross-pollination, but has refused to reveal its location to campaigners in Dorset.
Three Dorset councils have complained that seeds from the crop could have contaminated fields in Dorset.
Shillingstone campaigner Jane O’Meara said: “Contamination of crops with GM traits can spread to other people’s land and crops and into honey. Once established it will be hard to remove and could develop into a significant farming and wildlife problem.
“GM Freeze believes that the best way to reduce the risk of GM spreading from contaminated crops is to be open and transparent.”
GM Freeze asked Defra for the precise location of the crop to warn local farmers, gardeners and beekeepers, but Defra refused to release the map reference.
Defra argued that disclosure was contrary to the Data Protect Act 1998 and it would be against the public interest to reveal information against the wishes of the landowner.
The Office of the Information Commissioner refused a separate appeal from GM Freeze. Now the group’s call for a tribunal before a judge will be heard today.
A Defra report about the incident said: “Based on the evidence gathered, it was concluded that the trial had posed a very low risk to the environment.
“However, the GM Inspectorate developed a management and monitoring programme to ensure any volunteer oilseed rape plants that might emerge at the trial site are controlled.”
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