Farming Matters!
'Food for Thought'

GMO Debate: - June 2003

GMOs: - Somerset against GMOs: FoE press release

Post GMO Debate: - Comments as the GM debate closes and we wait for the report

See also
Burning Issues 2003 The 'GM Crop Debate': - July 2003

Burning Issues: GM Crop Report: - December 2002

Main Index: - with 'search this site' facility

The long awaited debate on GM crops finally started at the begining of June. There are already criticisms that it has been underfunded and that it is biased. Equally disturbing is the government's apparent unwillingness to agree to EU rulings regarding labelling of food containing GMOs. Some say that they are in fact obstructing them rather than annoy the US government. Attempts to force the issue on GM crops through the WTO is also a matter of concern.

The government report published in December 2002 raised a number of issues
'This report on research carried out from 1994-1997 and 1997-2000 was published on the Web at 10.00 p.m.on Christmas Eve. The timing (a good time to bury bad news?) and the fact that it was done ‘by a technician clearing his desk before the holiday’ (since when do ‘technicians’ have authority to publish reports?) led me to immediately search for, and read the information available......' For the full article and link to the report see
Burning Issues: GM Crop Report

Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 14:23
Friends of the Earth
Immediate release: 23 July 2003

SOMERSET BACKS GM-FREE POLICY

Today Somerset became the latest council in the southwest to state its opposition to GM crops and back policies to protect the county from GM pollution. Friends of the Earth, which launched its GM-free Britain campaign last year ^[1], welcomed the move.

The resolution, passed unanimously at the full council session this morning, stated that the council does not believe that GM crops should be grown commercially, has reconfirmed its GM-free policy for county farms and suppliers and will apply to prevent specific GM crops from being grown in the county once it has had the European legislation clarified ^[2], if that is what the public in Somerset want ^[3].

There is widespread opposition to GM crops in Somerset. Taunton Friends of the Earth has set up a database of over 20,000 acres which landowners have pledged to keep GM-free. 1,500 postcards have been sent to the county council, central Government and to Europe voicing local feeling, as part of a county-wide roadshow over the summer.

Tushie Garstang from Taunton Friends of the Earth said:

• "We are very pleased with this unanimous vote today. Tthere is strong local opposition to GM crops and foods in Somerset, and we are renowned for our high quality local food. This vote clearly shows that the council wants to protect this reputation and oppose GM crops. We will keep a close eye on the council to make sure they follow through on what they have promised today."

Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner in the South West, Keith Hatch said:

• "This is another positive move from a council in the Southwest, where more and more local authorities are taking action to be GM-free. This is also more evidence that people do not want their food, farming and environment contaminated with GM pollution, and another reason why the Government must refuse to allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the southwest and throughout the UK"

Pressure for a GM-free Southwest is growing with Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and South Gloucestershire councils all taking steps to go GM-free.

The Government is expected to decide later this year whether to allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the UK. Commercialisation risks widespread GM contamination of food,crops and the environment.

Notes:

• That this council notes with dismay the lack of scientific evidence offered to the public attending the 'GM Nation' debate that took place in Taunton on 7 June 2003, organised by the national GM public debate steering group.
• This council believes the fullest independent scientific evidence should be presented to the public to enable a proper debate to take place, including the results of the field trials, which are due to be published later this summer."
• and declares that;
  In the light of so little firm evidence of the effects of GM on either the UK environment or of GM food on human health, it does not believe that GM crops should be grown commercially. In this, it is fulfilling its duty to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of South Somerset communities under Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000.
• Reiterates its policy in relation to county farms and in relation to county suppliers as resolved at full council on the 26th of May 1999 and by the Countryside and Heritage board on the 9th of June 1999.

• requesting the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to extend the period of public consultation to enable maximum public participation in this debate, on a fully informed basis.
• and to clarify urgently the meaning of Article 19 of Directive 2001/18/EC and whether the council could exempt the geographical area of Somerset in order to protect the environment and the integrity of Somerset as a GM-free area, should that be the eventual wish of Somerset's public ( in that event the council would further seek to safeguard Somerset's farmers who wish to remain GM-free by raising an objection to each national licensing of a GM crop by using a standard letter from the county community protection officer)
• agrees to revue its policy in the light of new evidence in 3 years time

Press Office
Friends of the Earth
www.foe.co.uk

FoE GM-free Britain campaign - There is a map showing GM-free areas in Britain where people can email their local authority asking them to go GM-free. By clicking on the counties you can find out who is campaigning locally too.

The ‘Great G.M. Debate’ is over and we await the report due in September. There are still many uncertainties and what sounds like a firm ‘NO’ from the Supermarkets, who see that their customers would not want the end products. My own viewing of the promotional video and reading the material provided has in fact strengthened my feelings against the introduction of G.M. crops under present conditions.

The following questions still require answers:-

1. Cross contamination cannot be avoided (admitted by all concerned) so how can organic/conventional production be sustained?
2. Who pays in the case of loss of revenue from contaminated organic or conventional crops?
3. How stable is the DNA in modified species? Can it be broken down in the gut of animals and to what extent can the foreign genes be passed through the gut wall?
4. Have the effects of Glufosinate and Glyphosate herbicide residues on animals and humans been researched? If so are the results in the public domain, and if not why not?
5. What effects do concentrated applications of herbicides have on soil micro-organisms?

Stewart Wells, the president of the National Farmers’ Union in Canada, is on record as saying about GM crops that - “The promises of higher yields and lower costs have not materialised.”

It would appear that the whole of the canola (oil seed rape) crops in Canada are ‘contaminated’ with GM genes and cannot be sold as organic or even conventional on world markets. If this is true then a similar step from which there may be no return would not appear to be appropriate for the U.K. at the present time.

Finally:- The latest idea from the E.U.
‘Regional and local authorities will not be able to ban the use of GM crops within their areas, unless they can prove it is impossible for them to be grown without contaminating conventional and organic crops.’
This statement is part of the new guidelines on co-existence of crops issued in Brussels on Wednesday (25 July). EU farm commissioner, Franz Fischler is suggesting that GM and Organic crops must be allowed to co-exist. Fortunately several member states - notably Austria, Germany and Luxembourg are already questioning the wisdom of this policy. The government of the U.K. is, not surprisingly, silent!

T. Brighton: - July 2003

See also Burning Issues: GM Crop Report