KEY POINTS:
The GE-Free NZ lobby will this week challenge in the High Court at Wellington an Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) approval for field trials of genetically engineered brassicas.
The case will be heard over two days starting today, though Crop & Food Research began planting the disputed brassicas in November.
Last May, the state science company won Erma approval to field-test GE cauliflowers, cabbages, broccoli and forage kale containing genes derived from a soil bacterium to control caterpillar pests such as white butterfly and diamond-back moth.
The field test is to be run in the Lincoln region for 10 years to assess the agronomic performance of the plants.
The legal challenge filed in June last year alleged errors in law relating to the approvals.
