Swiss Authorities Allow GM Wheat Field Trials

The Swiss Federal Environment Office (FOEN) has granted scientists from Zurich University's Institute of Plant Biology and the Federal Institute of Technology’s Institute of Plant Sciences permission to carry out field trials involving genetically modified (GM) wheat, despite the existing 5 year ban on the use of GMOs in Swiss agriculture. The Environment Office said it took the decision after receiving approval from the federal health, agriculture and veterinary offices.

The scientists have approval to perform three experiments over a two year period (2008-2010) in Reckenholz near Zurich, and in Pully, on the outskirts of Lausanne, under “very strict conditions”, which include prohibited access to experimental fields, incineration and proper cleaning of machineries used, and constant monitoring of the experiments by a technical commission.

The experiments, a part of a four year program funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, will be carried to find out if the GM wheat plants,  known to be resistant to several fungal diseases and already tested in laboratories, will perform well in normal agricultural conditions.

For more information visit the FOEN Website http://www.bafu.admin.ch/