Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-x2lbr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-12T09:24:27.670Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Farm questionnaires for monitoring genetically modified crops: a case study using GM maize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2008

Kerstin Schmidt ,
Ralf Wilhelm ,
Jörg Schmidtke ,
Lutz Beißner ,
Wenke Mönkemeyer ,
Petra Böttinger ,
Jeremy Sweet  and
Joachim Schiemann
Kerstin Schmidt
Affiliation:
BioMath GmbH, Schnickmannstraße 1, 18055 Rostock, Germany
Ralf Wilhelm
Affiliation:
Julius Kühn-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen, Institut für Sicherheit in der Gentechnik bei Pflanzen, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
Jörg Schmidtke
Affiliation:
BioMath GmbH, Schnickmannstraße 1, 18055 Rostock, Germany
Lutz Beißner
Affiliation:
Julius Kühn-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen, Institut für Sicherheit in der Gentechnik bei Pflanzen, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany Current address: KWS Saat AG, Grimsehlstr. 31, 37574 Einbeck, Germany
Wenke Mönkemeyer
Affiliation:
BioMath GmbH, Schnickmannstraße 1, 18055 Rostock, Germany
Petra Böttinger
Affiliation:
Julius Kühn-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen, Institut für Sicherheit in der Gentechnik bei Pflanzen, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
Jeremy Sweet
Affiliation:
Environmental Consultant, 6 Green Street, Cambridge, CB4 5JA, UK
Joachim Schiemann
Affiliation:
Julius Kühn-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen, Institut für Sicherheit in der Gentechnik bei Pflanzen, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the 'Save PDF' action button.

Monitoring is a statutory requirement for the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in the European Community. Questionnaires for farmers to report on observations of effects linked with the cultivation of GM crops can form a useful part of a monitoring regime. A questionnaire for GM maize (Zea mays L.) was designed, with questions focusing on potential effects related to the GM maize grown, as well as on background information about cultivation methods and on individual field situations. In this paper we present the methodological approach of the monitoring regime, the structuring of the data, and the contents and structure of the questionnaire. The statistical requirements and background for an appropriate evaluation and interpretation of the data are described. Results of interviews made from 2001 to 2005 are also presented. It is envisaged that this approach will be developed for monitoring other cultivated GM plants and traits, and may be applicable in monitoring certain non-farmed environments.

Keywords

genetically modified plantsGMOGMPmaizemonitoringgeneral surveillancedata acquisitionfarm questionnairesmonitoring characterinfluencing factor

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Environmental Biosafety Research , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , July 2008 , pp. 163 - 179
Copyright
© ISBR, EDP Sciences, 2008

References

Bayer AG (1992) Important crops of the world and their weeds: their scientific names, synonyms and computer codes according to WSSA/WSSJ; Leverkusen
Beißner L, Wilhelm R, Schiemann J (2006) Current research activities to develop and test questionnaires as a tool for the General Surveillance of important crop plants. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 95–97 CrossRef
Berensmeier A, Schmidt K (2007) “Good Monitoring Practice” – Quality control measures for farm questionnaires. J. Verb. Lebensm. 2: 56–58
Berensmeier, A, Schmidt, K, Beißner, L, Schiemann, J, Wilhelm, R (2006) Statistical analysis of farm questionnaires to search for differences between GM- and non-GM maize. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 80–84 CrossRef
Bund/Länder Arbeitsgruppe “Monitoring von Umweltwirkungen gentechnisch veränderter Pflanzen” (2003) Konzept für das Monitoring gentechnisch veränderter Organismen (GVO), September 2002. In Monitoring von gentechnisch veränderten Pflanzen: Instrument einer vorsorgenden Umweltpolitik, Texte 23/03, Umweltbundesamt, Berlin 2003, pp 169–209
CADEMO for Windows 3.27 (2006) BioMath GmbH, Rostock, Germany
DFG – Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (1999) Qualitätskriterien der Umfrageforschung (Quality criteria for survey research), Akademie Verlag, Berlin
Diekmann A (2006) Empirische Sozialforschung. Grundlagen, Methoden, Anwendungen. Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg
EFSA (2006a) Guidance Document of the Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms for the Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Plants and Derived Food and Feed. EFSA Journal 99: 1–94
EFSA (2006b) Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms on the Post Market Environmental Monitoring (PMEM) of Genetically Modified Plants. EFSA Journal 319: 1–27
Meier (ed) (2001) Growth Stages of mono- and dicotyledonous Plants. BBCH Monograph., 2nd Edition, Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, publicy available under: http://www.jki.bund.de/cln_045/nn_805656/DE/veroeff/bbch/bbch__node.html__nnn=true
Merkes, R, Coenen, H, Hesse, F, Schütz, G (2003) Stand der Produktionstechnik zu Zuckerrüben – Ergebnisse der Umfrage 2002. Zuckerindustrie 128: 425–433
Mönkemeyer W, Schmidt K, Beißner L, Schiemann J, Wilhelm R (2006) A critical examination of the potentials of existing German networks for GMO-monitoring. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 67–71 CrossRef
Official Journal of the European Communities (17 April 2001) Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC; L 106/1
Official Journal of the European Communities (30 July 2002) Commission Decision of 24 July 2002 establishing guidance notes supplementing Annex II to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC (notified under document number C (2002) 2715); L 200/22
Official Journal of the European Communities (18 October 2002) Council Decision of 3 October 2002 establishing guidance notes supplementing Annex VII to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC; L 280/27
Official Journal of the European Communities (18 October 2002) Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed; L 268/1
Rasch D, Herrendörfer G, Bock J, Victor N, Guiard V (2007a) Verfahrensbibliothek Versuchsplanung und -auswertung. Oldenbourg Verlag, München
Rasch D, Verdooren LR, Gowers JI (2007b) The Design and Analysis of Experiments and Surveys. Oldenbourg Verlag, München
Sanvido O, Bigler F, Widmer F, Winzeler M (2004) Umweltmonitoring gentechnisch veränderter Pflanzen in der Schweiz. Schriftenreihe der FAL / Les Cahiers de la FAL 51. Agroscope FAL Reckenholz (in German)
Sanvido, O, Widmer, F, Winzeler, M, Bigler, F (2005) A conceptual framework for the design of environmental post-market monitoring of genetically modified plants. Environ. Biosafety Res. 4: 13–27 CrossRef
Schiemann, J, Wilhelm, R, Beißner, L, Schmidtke, J, Schmidt, K (2006) Data acquisition by farm questionnaires and linkage to other sources of data. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 26–29 CrossRef
Schmidt, K, Schmidtke, J, Wilhelm, R, Beißner, L, Schiemann, J (2004) Biometrical analysis of farmers' questionnaires for the monitoring of the cultivation of genetically modified maize varieties – statistical evaluation of monitoring objectives. Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes 56: 206–212 (in German)
Schmidt K, Beißner L, Schiemann J, Wilhelm R (2006) Methodology and tools for data acquisition and statistical analysis. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 21–25 CrossRef
Schmidtke J, Schmidt K (2006) Data management and data base implementation for GMO monitoring. J. Verb. Lebensm. 1: 92–94 CrossRef
Schmidtke J, Schmidt K (2007) Use of existing networks for the General Surveillance of GMP? Proposal of a Reporting System and a Central Reporting Office. J. Verb. Lebensm. 2: 79–84 CrossRef
Schneider B (2001) Methoden der Planung und Auswertung klinischer Studien. In Rasch D (Hrsg.), Anwendungen der Biometrie in Medizin, Landwirtschaft und Mikrobiologie, BioMath GmbH, Rostock
SPSS for Windows, Rel. 10.1.3. 2001. Chicago: SPSS Inc.
Wengraf T (2006) Qualitative Research Interviewing. SAGE Publ., London
Wilhelm, R, Beißner, L, Schiemann, J (2002) Gestaltung des Monitoring der Auswirkungen gentechnisch veränderter Pflanzen im Agrarökosystem. Gesunde Pflanzen 54: 194–206 (in German) CrossRef
Wilhelm, R, Beißner, L, Schiemann, J (2003) Concept for the Realisation of a GMO Monitoring in Germany. Updated English version of “Konzept zur Umsetzung eines GVO-Monitoring in Deutschland”. Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes 55: 258–272
Wilhelm, R, Beißner, L, Schmidt, K, Schmidtke, J, Schiemann, J (2004) Monitoring of the cultivation of genetically modified plants – Use of farmers' questionnaires. Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes 56: 184–188 (in German), with supplement: http://www.jki.bund.de/cln_045/nn_902382/SharedDocs/17__PS/Publikationen/arbgrmonit/questgmmaize040823.pdf.html