Examination of Witnesses (Questions 60-63)
PATRICK HOLDEN
AND GUNDULA
MEZIANI
TUESDAY 16 APRIL 2002
Mr Jack
60. Can I ask a question, very quickly. In terms
of your ideal enlarged separation distances, have there been any
organic sites that have come within the current separation distances
but which are inside, if you like, the larger distances?
(Mr Holden) Yes, large numbers.
61. And, if so, within your membership, have
you measured whether there has been any cross-contamination in
those situations?
(Mr Holden) The answer is, there is quite a significant
number; but the most vulnerable crop, namely, oil-seed rape, is
hardly grown by organic producers, which means that that risk
is vastly reduced. And the greatest proximity will be between
oil-seed rape, obviously, because they are one of the main trial
crops, and organic farms, and if there is not a compatible crop
being grown, that is one set of risks removed, as it were, and
maize. And, I do not know if you can improve on this answer, but,
to the best of my knowledge, we have not, until now, encountered
a maize crop which is sufficiently close to an organic maize crop
to trigger testing from us.
Chairman
62. Well, thank you very much for coming along,
it is good to see you both again; and you will know that we will
be taking evidence, I think, next week, from the Minister and
from the AEBC, and then publishing a short report on the outcome
of those interviews, once we have had a chance to review them.
Thank you very much, once again.
(Ms Meziani) We have brought a couple of briefing
sheets for members of the Sub-Committee, if you would like them.
63. Yes, please; and, actually, the information
you gave on the Pollen Research Institute guidelines that you
have put forward to the Government?
(Mr Holden) We can send you a copy of that. I do not
think we have got that with us, but we will send you a copy.
Chairman: That will be helpful. Thank you.
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