A voluntary agreement between the British government and the ag. industry for a three-year delay on the commercialization of GM crops, but continued field scale biodiversity trials, avoids cumbersome regulation/legislation and keeps the issue off the formal political agenda.

Michael Meacher, UK environmental minister, announced on Friday, November 5, a three-year renewal of the voluntary agreement delaying the commercial application of genetic modification technology. This agreement, with the Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops (SCIMAC) - a group of industry organizations, allows for 20-25 farm scale bio-diversity trials. These trail will be subject to "the advice and requirements on the independent Scientific Steering Committee," which will also pass judgement on any additional farm scale trials.

The extension of the agreement allows the government to keep to its science based policy on GM crops and accommodate the concerns of a large percentage of the population. The activists seem more concerned about environmental than food safety issues. The agreement restricts the sale of the crops from these trial so both angles were covered to some degree.

Confirmation of the three year extension is undoubtedly a disappointment to biotechnology boosters. It was, however, generally expected. A voluntary agreement could provide the industry with more flexibility. It also keeps GM crops off the formal political agenda.

Those who oppose biotechnology had plenty to say to the press and media, as was to be expected. The possibility that the trial crops might be feed to livestock was raised by the Friends of the Earth. This was not denied by the environment minister, even though the use of the crops for forage purposes has not been approved by the European Union. The Friends appear to have been unaware that GM soya beans and possibly corn are even now feed to livestock.

This Friday issue, however, does not appear to have survived the weekend.