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Abstract
Pollen-mediated gene flow is one of the main concerns associated with the introduction
of genetically modified (GM) crops. Should a premium for non-GM varieties
emerge on the market, ‘contamination’ by GM pollen would generate a revenue loss
for growers of non-GM varieties. This paper analyses the problem of pollen-mediated
gene flow as a particular type of production externality. The model, although simple,
provides useful insights into coexistence policies. Following on from this and taking
GM herbicide-tolerant oilseed rape (Brassica napus) as a model crop, a Monte Carlo
simulation is used to generate data and then estimate the effect of several important
policy variables (including width of buffer zones and spatial aggregation) on the
magnitude of the externality associated with pollen-mediated gene flow.