GM Crop Farm Scale Evaluations:
Scientific Steering Committee
To
Dr Nicholas Aebischer, Director of Biometrics, The Game Conservancy Trust;
Dr Alastair Burn, Head of Water and Wetlands, English Nature
Professor Mick Crawley FRS, Imperial College at Silwood Park
Dr David Gibbons, Head of Conservation Science, RSPB
Mr Jim H. Orson, Director, Morley Research Centre
Dr Nick Sotherton, Director of Research, The Game Conservancy Trust
11 July 2005
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 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.
Sincerely
MARGARET BECKETT
Page published: 29
July 2005
Page last modified:
29 July, 2005