GM Crop Farm Scale Evaluations:
Scientific Steering Committee
Professor Christopher Pollock
Director
Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research
Plas Gogerddan
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion SY23 3EB
11 July 2005
Dear Chris Pollock,
SCIENTIFIC STEERING COMMITTEE ON FARM SCALE EVALUATIONS OF HERBICIDE TOLERANT GM CROPS
I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of the final advice from the Scientific Steering Committee on the outcome of the Farm Scale Evaluations of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops. This has now been considered by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and I expect to receive their recommendations soon on how to proceed.
With this final advice the Scientific Steering Committee has fulfilled its remit and I am content for the committee to disband. May I take this opportunity to express my gratitude and that of my colleagues across government for the contribution you made to the successful completion of the evaluations and publication of the results. The Committee under your leadership consistently provided rigorous scrutiny to ensure the highest standards of science during the evaluations and was scrupulous in maintaining its independence.
The Farm Scale Evaluations are making a major contribution to the understanding of the impact of growing arable crops on farmland ecology. The results are making a real difference to the development of policy not only for GM crops but agriculture more generally.
Once again, I would like to thank you for all the work you have done and I wish you well for the future. I have also written individually to each member of the Committee to express my thanks for their work.
Sincerely
MARGARET BECKETT
Page published: 29
July 2005
Page last modified:
29 July, 2005