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Introduction

science

In the UK the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is restricted under EU Council Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (repealing EU Directive 90/220/EC). This directive lays down a set of common environmental and human health safety measures in relation to the release and marketing of such organisms. In the UK the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for environmental issues concerning GMOs, both in relation to deliberate release and use in containment, e.g. glasshouses. In the UK EU Directive 2001/18/EC is implemented under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (part VI) and regulations made under that Act (in Great Britain the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2002. It is important that this legislation is effectively and proportionately enforced. GMOs must not be released into the environment without prior consent; where the releases are for experimental or research purposes this is covered by part B of Directive 2001/18/EC and consent is issued at the National level, whereas consent for marketing of GMOs (part C) is given at EC level. In the UK part B consents are issued based on a detailed risk assessment that is submitted to Defra and assessed by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). When issued, consents contain detailed instructions, or conditions, on how the releases should be conducted; The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) GM Inspectorate is responsible for ensuring that all deliberate releases are carried out in accordance with these conditions.

GMO research and development at The Food and Environment Research Agency

The GM Enforcement R&D team provides consultancy and R&D to Defra and the GM Inspectorate to ensure the safe use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in contained use and the agri-environment.

The programme of farm-scale evaluations of GM crops started in 1999. These were initiated in response to concerns regarding the impact of GM crops on farmland wildlife brought about by changes in farm management practices. The programme included spring and winter oil seed rape and fodder maize, all genetically modified to be tolerant to glufosinate ammonium herbicides, grown in a split plot arrangement with one half the GM and one half the non-GM crop. Under Defra funding the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), now part of Fera, investigated the level of crop-to-crop gene flow for oilseed rape and maize using these sites, and recently published a paper with details of the findings of the research for oilseed rape. CSL has also investigated the risks from use of GMOs in glasshouses under funding from DETR (now Defra). In addition, since 2002 Defra has funded CSL (now Fera) to develop sophisticated molecular diagnostic techniques to underpin enforcement of the GM legislation by the GM Inspectorate.

Research undertaken in support of the GM Inspectorate is as follows:

Fera is a member of the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL).