From the BBC website

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The fourth and final test of a GM crop grown under UK farm conditions has> highlighted the detrimental effects the novel plants can have on wildlife.> The tests of a winter-sown oilseed rape showed the management of the biotech> crop could reduce the weeds and seeds available to some insects and birds.> > And scientists found these effects could linger in fields year after year.> > But they also stressed the picture was complex and there were circumstances> in which GM might be beneficial as well.> > The results for three other types of engineered crops - a spring-sown> oilseed rape, a sugar beet and a maize - were published in October 2003.> Only the maize was approved for commercialisation under strict conditions.> > Finding a balance> > The £6m UK Farm-Scale Evaluations (FSEs) of genetically modified (GM) plants> have been described as the biggest ecological experiment in the world and a> model for measuring the impact of new farming techniques on the environment.> > What's good for the farmer is not always good for the population of> weeds, insects and birds that share that space> > Prof Chris Pollock, the FSEs' Scientific Steering Committee> And scientists believe they have raised major questions about how we farm> and manage the countryside - over and above what type of crop technology is> used in the field.> > "The FSEs have drawn attention to an issue of balance," said Professor Chris> Pollock, the chair of the FSEs' Scientific Steering Committee.> > "They've highlighted that what's good for the farmer is not always good for> the population of weeds, insects and birds that share that space.> > "It is the way in which different forms of agriculture affect this balance> that is exposed so clearly in the FSEs."> > Bird food> > As with the first three FSE trialists, the winter-sown oilseed rape was> modified to tolerate a particular herbicide, which meant it could be sprayed> and still flourish while all the competing plants (weeds) around it died> off.> > It was grown at 65 sites from the north of Scotland to the south of England,> side by side with a conventional variety and in a standard rotation with> other plants, such as barley and wheat.> > > Intensive agriculture has put many farmland birds under pressure> Scientists said that when compared with conventional winter-sown rapeseed,> the novel plant kept the same number of weeds overall but that there were> differences seen between the weed types.> > GM management led to more grass weeds but fewer broad-leaved weeds, such as> chickweed and fat hen. The flowers of these "pest" plants attract insects,> and their seeds are also important for many bird species, such as the> skylark, tree sparrow and bullfinch.> > "There is a lot of knowledge about bird diets and, generally, it's fair to> say for most farmland birds, broad-leaved weeds are particularly important,"> said Dr David Gibbons, a steering committee member from the Royal Society> for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).> > "I think if this crop were commercialised on a widespread basis, we would be> worried about the implications that could have."> > Butterfly options> > The researchers also found slightly more insects that liked to feast on> decaying plant material in the GM fields, but slightly fewer butterflies and> bees.> > However, they emphasised that these differences arose not because the crop> was genetically altered but because of the different times at which the> fields were sprayed. And they argued that other environmentally friendly> practices on a farm were likely to have a far greater impact on biodiversity> than simply switching between a non-GM or GM crop.> > As with all weed management systems, some weed and insect species will> be positively affected while others may be negatively affected> > Tony Combes, abc> "It's one of those issues where you can look down either end of the> telescope," explained Dr Les Firbank, who led the consortium of FSE> scientists.> > "Is there an effect of [the GM] cropping system on butterflies? Yes. But if> you want to conserve the butterflies, is this the effect you'd be> concentrating on? No. You'd be concentrating on getting far more wild> flowers in and around the fields."> > This point was picked up by green lobby groups such as Friends Of The Earth.> "The FSEs specifically didn't examine the impact of organic agriculture,"> said FOE GM campaigner Emily Diamand.> > "They only looked at 'bad' and 'worse'. There are more sustainable ways of> farming than intensive agriculture that could benefit the environment."> > There are some very beneficial new approaches and new thinking that> have come out of this whole process> > Dr Sue Meyer, Genewatch UK> And Dr Sue Meyer, the executive director of Genewatch UK, added: "The FSEs> and the whole controversy around GM have opened up, quite rightly, a much> broader look at what we want from agriculture.> > "We need a much more holistic approach to farming and food. There are some> very beneficial new approaches and new thinking that have come out of this> whole process - and that is to be welcomed."> > No plans> > In their reaction to the latest FSE results, the biotech industry picked up> the positives from the study - the reduction in the amount of herbicide> required on the GM fields and the greater flexibility in the timing of> spraying which could benefit some insect species by leaving more weed> material in the field for longer.> > "These results confirm once again that GM crops give farmers the flexibility> that they need to balance economic viability with environmental> responsibility," said Tony Combes, deputy chairman of abc, an umbrella group> for the agricultural biotechnology industry.> > "This weed management option is delicate and precise enough to allow active> management for weed and insect species.> > "As with all weed management systems, some weed and insect species will be> positively affected while others may be negatively affected, but the vast> majority are unaffected.> > The results of the FSEs are intended to help government ministers decide> whether or not to allow commercialisation of GM crops.> > However, there are currently no applications from biotech companies in the> UK or in the EU to cultivate a winter-sown oilseed rape, which in its> conventional guise is planted on 300,000 hectares across the British> countryside each year.> > A paper detailing the scientific investigations is published the Proceedings> of the Royal Society B: Biological Science.