Copyright 2000 Newspaper Publishing PLC The Independent (London)

May 17, 2000, Wednesday

Honey Has Been Contaminated by GM Crops, Claims Friends of the Earth

BY Michael Mccarthy, Environment Correspondent

BRITAIN'S BEE farmers are to seek an urgent meeting with the Government after
Friends of the Earth (FoE) alleged that honey had been contaminated by
genetically modified crops...

The GM traces found were special genes for weedkiller tolerance developed for
oilseed rape crops by the German agrochemical company Aventis. The area is
understood to be in Oxfordshire. Brian Stenhouse, general secretary of the Bee
Farmers Association of the UK, said members were being advised to move hives
at least six miles from any GM crop site. An Environment Department spokeswoman
said: "The minute amounts of GM pollen found in honey pose no risk to human
health."