GM
Crop Farm Scale Evaluations:
Scientific Steering Committee Advice
SPRING 2002 FARM SCALE EVALUATION SITE SELECTIONS: SCIENTIFIC STEERING COMMITTEE ADVICE FOR SPRING OIL-SEED RAPE, MAIZE AND BEET.
The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) has considered and approved the selection of sites for spring 2002 plantings of oil seed rape, beet and maize. The sites were selected by the research contractors from a pool submitted by SCIMAC. The SSC provided the following advice to Ministers:
- The Committee was pleased to find that the target number of sites for spring oilseed rape, beet and maize have been met and/or exceeded by SCIMAC. A pool has been provided from which sites of each crop type can be selected for the third spring sowing round of the Farm Scale Evaluation programme.
- A number of maize fields are included in which GM maize was also grown last year. The Scientific steering committee considered that, as repeat cropping of maize is a common practice in the UK, that including several such sites in addition to new sites added to the value of the study.
- The Committee showed some concern over the low proportion of farms that were new to the programme in the oil seed rape selection. Reserve farms have been selected to alleviate this problem.
- The Committee were concerned about the number and balance between sugar beet and fodder beet in the selection of beet fields. The Committee received reassurances from the Research Consortium that the power of the analysis would be great enough with the selection given.
- The Committee considered carefully the geographical distribution of sites for each crop. The aim is to select sites over the course of the study that adequately represent the geographical distribution and intensity of cultivation over which the crops are grown commercially in the UK. The maize sites offered, while not matching the geographical distribution precisely, were considered to be consistent with this aim and would sustain core objectives of the study. The distribution of oil seed rape and beet sites was considered good.
27th March 2002
Page published 10 April
2002;
Page last modified
10 August, 2002