ANGRY environmentalists are complaining of a lack of notice and information given about a second trial of genetically-modified fodder crops to take place in Herefordshire, writes Roy Lewis.

Following the announcement of GM fodder beet trials at ADAS, Preston Wynne, near Hereford, a fortnight ago, it was revealed this week that fodder maize trials are also to be held there.

Frank Hemming of Herefordshire Friends of the Earth, said it was ridiculous that the public were being made aware of the trials about the same time as the seeds were to be planted.

He was writing to ADAS asking for a meeting with staff and local people directly affected. He was also voicing his concern to MPs and local councillors. "There are organic farmers in the area not many miles from the trial sites and conventional farmers could also have a problem," he said. The fodder beet trials are being confined to one field and will not be greater than four hectares while the maize will have a total field area of six hectares. Spokesmen from the GM evalutions programme, the Supply Chain Initiative Modified Agricultural Crops (SCIMAC) and the Department of the Environment, said they wanted to assure farmers and people living in the area that there would be no danger.

The GM trials had received the backing of English Nature and other conservation groups. However, Mr Hemming said he was worried that although the SCIMAC guidelines for growing GM crops had been endorsed by the Government and included negotiation, neighbouring people had been told only weeks before the crop was due to be sown.

"Local organic farmers who risk contamination by pollen have not been told at all. There is no negotiation," he said.