The Government is to push for terminator crops to be considered for approval on a "case-by-case risk assessment basis" at the major UN meeting in Brazil this month – their position closely mirrors the position of the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

The UK working group on terminator technology, a coalition of 10 British environment and development groups, says: "It could destroy traditional farming methods, damage farmers' livelihoods and threaten food security, particularly in developing countries."

Ministers have refused to meet environmental groups to discuss their policy. The government also failed to publicise their position, posted two weeks ago on the website of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The revised policy states that it would consider applications for terminator field trials: “Decisions on applications to market genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are made on a case-by-case basis taking full account of a scientific assessment of the particular GMO and the risks associated with its use against the criteria in the EU legislation. An application for a GMO incorporating Gurt would be dealt with in the same way as any other GMO,” it says.

Britain will be pushing for this approach first at a meeting of EU ministers on Thursday, then at a meeting of the convention in Brazil in two weeks.

A letter sent from the office of First Minister Jack McConnell to a member of the UK Working Group on Terminator Technology shows that the Scottish Executive also supports the new policy. Like the Westminster document, it undermines the moratorium, stating: “Recognising that there are both potential benefits and risks associated with GM crops, all countries should be able to make their own informed choices.”

UK campaigners reacted with disbelief. Pete Reilly of GM Freeze said: “There is no logic behind the shift. The government doesn’t appear to have any new information available to justify it – they are working in the dark.” He added: “Whitehall has clearly decided that the interests of the biotech companies comes ahead of the millions of people who rely on farm-saved seeds for their livelihoods and food supply.”

Mark Ruskell MSP, the Green spokesman on biotechnology, also expressed concern at the turnaround. “I’m shocked but not surprised that the Executive is toeing the Westminster line in allowing big biotech firms to potentially develop an obscene level of control on the world’s food supply,” he said. “Terminator seeds steal the ability of farmers to support themselves and their communities, it’s hard to think of a technology which could so completely undermine the Executive’s attempts to help countries like Malawi claw their way out of poverty and hunger.”

--- Write to the UK Government and urge them to support the moratorium on Terminator and reject the language of "Case by case risk assessment" which opens the door to field trials of Terminator