After a public consultation, Defra have approved the application to
work on a potato modified to resist infection by potato cyst nematodes.
The introduction of GM technology into the EU remains a divisive
issue among the public and there will be high security at the
University to prevent campaigners from ruining trials.
A fear of vandalism has prompted biotech firms to call for a legislative change to keep the location of GM trials secret.
Defra
says they are keeping the issue under `general review` but hope that
campaigners will not `take the law into their own hands`.
The
application from Leeds University researchers was reviewed by an
independent group of experts that sit on the Advisory Committee of
Releases to the Environment (ACRE).
ACRE said that the trial would not have any adverse effect on human health or the environment.
Defra assured that the harvested potatoes would not enter the animal or human food chain.
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