Top UK Organic Farmer Loses Genetic Crops Challenge

PA News  10jul98

John Aston and Stephen Howard Guy Watson, one of the U.K.'s leading organic farmers today failed in his High Court bid to challenge the legality of trials of a genetically-modified maize crop in a field next to his farm. Mr Justice Jowitt refused leave to seek judicial review saying his case was "unarguable". The judge, sitting at London's Law Courts, ruled the Government was entitled to accept expert advice that the risk of contamination was "likely to be zero". Soil Association spokesman Richard Young was cited as saying he believed the judge was wrong in his ruling and they were now considering taking the case to the Court of Appeal.