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This list of testsites has been compiled from information produced by the Biotechnology Unit of the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions. There is a KEY available at the end of the table.

08/04/04 UPDATE: At present the only GM crop trial being carried out in the UK in 2004 is a research and development trial of GM peas by John Innes Centre in Norwich, (TG 180070). This is the second year of a two year trial. More information on this trial from DEFRA. A new table for 2003-2004 will be added shortly as will an update to the 2002-2003 table

If you have any additional information that would increase the accuracy of this table please email us at

You can see the data for the following periods:

 

Crops planted from Autumn 2001 and harvested by Autumn 2002

This list was last updated on February 12th 2003. This was the final update.

Click here to see this data in map form.

 

Hide columns: Company | Crop | Area | Traits | Status

Show columns: Grid Ref | Farm Address | Gmo Ref | Sown | Harvest

 

Company

Crop

Area

Traits

Status

 
Aberdeenshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<8 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**<15ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**<15ha 

LL SL 

 

NIAB 

WOSR 

 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU Trial) Damaged 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU Trial) Damaged 

SAC 

OSR 

1ha GM within 3ha 

LL SL and HL AB 

Not Planted 

SAC 

SOSR 

0.0012 ha 

HL AB 

See key below* 

 
Midlothian

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU Trial) Damaged 

 
Ross-shire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**<15 ha 

LL SL 

Damaged and 6 bags delivered to DEFRA 

 
Fife

Aventis 

SOSR 

**<15ha 

LL SL 

damaged and 2 bags delivered to DEFRA 

 
Perth

SCRI 

Potatoes 

<750m2 

Various 

not yet planted still awaiting consent 

 
Cumbria

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

 
Tyne and Wear

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
Durham

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**4 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**6 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
West Yorkshire

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

75% damaged 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

Discontinued 

 
North Yorkshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

2 ha 

LL SL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(DUS Trial) 

 
East Riding of Yorkshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**4 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

 
Nottinghamshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

2 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**4 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
Lincolnshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**8 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU Trial) Decontaminated 

Aventis 

WOSR 

2 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**11 ha 

LL SL 

damaged, 22 bags delivered to DEFRA 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**14 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**13 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**10 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

withdrawn 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

Withdrawn 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

Withdrawn 

 
Leicestershire

Aventis 

SOSR 

**6 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
Worcestershire

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

 
Shropshire

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**8 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

replaced SJ 505 313, but then withdrawn 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

withdrawn for agronomic reasons 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**13 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

damaged, 5 bags delivered to DEFRA 

 
Herefordshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

 
Warwickshire

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

Oversown by the Brassica Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and 1 bag delivered to DEFRA 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

damaged, 1 bag delivered to DEFRA 

 
Gloucestershire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**3 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

 
Cheshire

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

damaged 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**5 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
Norfolk

John Innes 

Barley 

30m2 

AS 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

damaged 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

damaged, delivered to DEFRA 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

upto 75% damaged and some delivered to DEFRA 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

upto 75% damaged and some delivered to DEFRA 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

upto 75% damaged 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

upto 33% damaged 

 
Essex

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

damaged, delivered to DEFRA 

 
Suffolk

Monsanto 

Beet 

<2ha 

RR 

upto 66% damaged 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10 ha 

RR 

 

 
Hertfordshire

Aventis 

WOSR 

**15 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU trial) Decontaminated/discontinued? 

Aventis 

SOSR 

1 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

1 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

Crop Failed 

IACR 

Wheat 

decomtaminated 

 

 

IACR 

Wheat 

decontaminated 

 

 

 
Oxfordshire

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**8 ha 

LL SL 

damaged, 6 bags delivered to DEFRA 

Aventis 

WOSR 

*400m2 

LL SL 

(VCU Trial) Decontaminated 

 
Berkshire

Syngenta 

Wheat 

 

DR 

 

 
Cambridgeshire

Monsanto 

Beet 

<2ha 

RR 

 

Monsanto 

Beet 

**2-10ha 

RR 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

5 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

1 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
Somerset

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

Farmer withdrew 

 
Dorset

Aventis 

WOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**9 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**6 ha 

LL SL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

"Pink Castled" site totally decontaminated and some delivered to DEFRA 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

site totally decontaminated and some bags delivered to DEFRA 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

withdrawn 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

withdrawn on agronomic grounds 

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

Farmer Withdrew 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**8 ha 

LL SL 

Farmer Withdrew 

Aventis 

SOSR 

**7 ha 

LL SL 

extra site to replace SY 708 861 

 
Kent

Aventis 

Maize 

** 

LL 

extra site added 23/4/02 but withdrawn 07/02 

Aventis 

WOSR 

**12 ha 

LL SL 

 

 
 

Key:

Grid Ref
Grid references, four number refs will be updated to six number refs when information is available
Farm Address
Grouped by county. Addresses of farms hosting test sites are no longer made public, only the parish names are supplied. Over time we hope to fill in the addresses. If you can help with this please us.
Company

Aventis= formerly known as AgrEvo. AgrEvo's German parent company Hoescht have merged with Rhone-Poulenc to create Aventis.
Advanta= Seed company owned by Astra-Zeneca
Adv. Tech= Advanced Technologies, based in Cambridge
SAC
= Scottish Agricultural College
NIAB= National Institute of Agricultural Botany
IACR= Institute of Arable Crop Research
IVEM= Oxford University's Institute of Virology & Environmental Microbiology.
SCRI
= Scottish Crop Research Institute
GMO Ref
quote this reference when in communication with the government's Biotech Unit; there is a dossier of information available on each of these tests from them.
Crop
WOSR
= Winter oil seed rape, SOSR= Spring oil seed rape, S Beet= Sugar Beet, F Beet= Fodder Beet, F Maize= Fodder Maize, S Wheat= Spring Wheat.

Area
Maximum area of test crop in hectares.
* = National Seed List - site size is 'per variety'
**= government sponsored "Farm Scale Trials", all are the split field design, half the field is GE and half is a non-GE, and there is a non-GE border crop. Except where stated, these are up to 10 hectares in size, more exact areas may be available soon.

Traits
RR= "Roundup Ready" Resistant to Monsanto's patented broad-spectrum herbicide, active ingredient glyphosate.
LL= "Liberty Link" Resistant to Aventis' patented broad-spectrum herbicide glufosinate ammonium, sold as Liberty.
SL= Aventis' patented system for producing oil seed rape hybrids by using genetically engineered male sterility.
SP= Astra-Zeneca's "switchable promoter" allows genes to be switched on and off, dubbed "Traitor Technology".
SFR=Switchable fungal resistance genes, an application of Traitor Technology
AB= GM Crops known to contain antibiotic resistance marker genes.
DR =Disease Resistant
AS= Altered starch and sugar content.
AP= Altered proteins
HL= High Laurate acid content
RA
= Resistant to Asulam herbicide.
NR= Resistance to nematodes, microscopic soil creatures.
CM= Cauliflower Mosiac Virus (CamV) used as a vector in GE process.
PS= Oil seed rape engineered to have reduced pod shatter.
BV= This organism is a GE baculovirus, an insect attacking virus made more deadly, tested for use as an insecticide (sprayed on plants).
Status
Destroyed= Test site destroyed by public
Damaged= Test site damaged by public
Abandoned= Trial abandoned by company due to crop failure or damage by public

(VCU)= National Seed Listing Trial for Value for Cultivation and Use
(DUS)= National Seed Listing Trial for Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability

 

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