Genetically modified crops won鈥檛 be grown commercially in Britain for at
least another three years. Companies developing the crops have agreed to wait
until the end of a 拢3.3-million government-funded experiment to see if GM
crops damage wildlife more than conventional ones. The trial ends in 2002. 鈥淭his
agreement is not a ban or moratorium,鈥� says Michael Meacher, the environment
minister. 鈥淚t is an agreement that has been entered into freely and
惫辞濒耻苍迟补谤颈濒测.鈥�
Friends of the Earth, which has campaigned against GM crops, is 鈥渂itterly
disappointed鈥� with the deal, however, and wants the trials stopped.