Government face GM legal threat Sat 21 February, 2004 02:27 http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=462054§ion=news LONDON (Reuters) - The government's plans to commercially grow genetically modified (GM) maize could face a legal challenge from environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth (FOE) who said testing had failed to rule out risks to human health and the environment. "The only feeding study to look at the impact of feeding animals the whole plant was severely criticised for poor science...(and) other studies using the GM protein failed to show that the crop was safe," FOE said in a statement on Saturday. "No feeding studies were carried out on cattle, the intended recipients of the GM maize," the statement added. The government was engulfed in a fresh row about the technology this week amid claims it was poised to allow farmers to grow Bayer's gene-spliced maize variety T25/Chardon LL in spite of public opposition. The maize is a fodder crop, intended for use for cattle feed only. FOE also said it was urging the government to consult with regional authorities before making any announcement since they have to the power to block any move to have the crops grown commercially. Before any particular crop can be grown, it needs to be added to the UK National Seed List -- and this requires the consent of regional parliaments in both Wales and Scotland. "This maize has not been shown to be safe and it should not be grown commercially," FOE spokeswoman Clare Oxborrow said. A three-year trial of three herbicide-resistant GM crops found that pesticides used on two of them -- sugar beet and rapeseed -- posed a greater threat to the environment than those used on conventional crops. Only T25/Chardon LL maize fared better. But environmentalists said results for this type of GM maize were skewed, mainly because the herbicide used on the neighbouring conventional crop has since been banned. Proponents of technology argue that GM crops could benefit the environment through reduced pesticide use, while farmers gain by growing better-yielding varieties.