MONSANTO BLUNDERS
[A-Infos, Dec. ‘98 ]

One of the worst fears of campaigners against genetically modified crops has almost come true. In Britain, an experimental crop of oilseed rape ("canola" in US terms) that was genetically altered to make it resistant to herbicides has had to be destroyed after it pollinated nearby plants.

If left unchecked, a new breed of superweeds which normal chemicals could not destroy might have had devastating effects on Britain's agriculture. The UK Government is now considering prosecuting Monsanto for allegedly contaminating the environment. If convicted, Monsanto's chief executive, Bob Shapiro, could even be jailed.

The companies involved were ordered by the Agriculture Ministry to dig up and destroy a field of oilseed rape on a 1,000 square metre Government licensed site. All seeds harvested over the next two years within a 50-metre radius of the site, at Rothwell in Lincolnshire, will also be ditched.

The Department of the Environment will decide soon whether to prosecute under the 1992 Genetically Modified Organisms Regulations. A spokesman said the case was "too sensitive" to discuss.

The problem arose because Monsanto failed to prevent the genetically modified winter oilseed rape from cross-pollinating with another field of their normal oilseed rape. A pollen barrier, or buffer zone, of only two meters instead of the required six meters surrounded the test site.