FARM SCALE EVALUATIONS
Winter GM Oilseed rape Crop Trials 2002 - Individual
Site Assessments
Objective
Aventis Crop Science Ltd has a licence (Deliberate
Release consent) to carry out the release of the particular
line of genetically modified oilseed rape in the farmscale
evaluation programme throughout Great Britain. Supplied in
the original consent application was a generic risk which
was placed on the Public Register. The application was
considered by a number of statutory authorities - including
the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment
(ACRE), a body of independent expert scientists - before
permission was granted for this programme of work to
proceed. ACRE's advice to Ministers was also placed on the
Public Register.
Aventis's application and risk assessment are such that
the GM oilseed rape in the farmscale evaluations would be
planted in areas where conventional oilseed rape would
normally be grown. Aventis notified the Joint Regulatory
Authority (DEFRA) of proposed locations for these releases
indicating that the original risk assessment was applicable
to these sites.
Officials from the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
have carried out a site assessment of each of the proposed
release locations in Scotland to verify and check that
there are no local factors which alter the risk
assessment.
Factors such as location and size of the site, the
description of the site ecosystem and in particular whether
the trial is situated in an oilseed rape growing area, were
considered together with the proximity of each site to
sites of special scientific interest (SSSI's).
Site Assessments
These assessments were done within SEERAD using
databases and detailed environmental mapping systems. A
Geographical Information System (GIS) database was used to
confirm the grid reference against each site. The proposed
acreage of planting was checked to ensure it corresponded
to that permitted under the terms of the consent.
Proximity of SSSIs in relation to each release site is
checked by Scottish Natural Heritage (the statutory
conservation body in Scotland). Scottish Natural Heritage
are asked to confirm whether they are satisfied that the
proposed release sites do not pose a risk to designated
sites.
Each assessment is accompanied by a description of the
site ecosystem. This was determined by calculating the
percentage of the total area that was covered by each
different land cover type within 5km of each release site
using the 1 km square version of the 2000 Land Cover Map
for Scotland.
As SASA officials conducted a field visit to both of the
proposed 2002 winter oilseed rape sites. This enabled a
detailed check to be made to establish that the selected
fields were in an arable ecosystems and that there was a
history of oilseed rape cultivation in the area (and were
compliant with the risk assessment). During the site
visits, maps supplied by the GIS unit were cross referenced
with maps held by the two farmers to verify the location of
the fields in relation to the field grid references
supplied by Aventis. The area of the proposed GM crop
release was also discussed with the farmers.
Conclusion
All sites were found to be compliant with the
information submitted by Aventis Crop Science Ltd and the
overall risk assessment as detailed in consent
01/R33/11S.
The site assessments are as follows:
Site Assessment Grid Reference
Aberdeenshire,
Daviot NJ 751 305
Fife,
Newport on Tay NO 429 252