The UK government has denied that it attempted to bury a report showing how genetically modified crops can contaminate plants in neighbouring fields.
Speaking to the BBC, Environment minister Michael Meacher denied that the release of the report on Christmas Eve was an attempt to bury it, but agreed that the timing was “unfortunate”. He described the Christmas Eve release as “another case of cock-up rather than conspiracy.”
Anti-GM campaigners say the report proves there is no commercial future for biotech foods in the UK.
The report found that the weed wild turnip was affected by gene flow when planted next to genetically modified oilseed rape. This sparked fears that the weed could become resistant to herbicides, reported BBC Online. Meacher, however, said the report did not contain any new information, but was simply a confirmation of what was already known.
