ERMA’s summary of its decision to approve the field trialling of GM brassica crops makes clear just how few benefits are expected to result from the exercise. ERMA confirms in this written decision that the only benefits that can be expected are a ”minimal” contribution to scientific knowledge and ”minimal at most” upgrading of the skills of individual scientists. ERMA’s advisors had classified these benefits into categories with a total maximum value of around $500,000 and made clear that their risk-weighted value would be a fraction of this. Such prospective benefits compare very poorly with the undisclosed budget for the ten-year trial that will likely cost several million dollars, based on similar past studies.