The resources here are specifically designed for the press and media.
Hoofprints: Livestock and its environmental impacts
(PDF† format - 320K) Feb 2008
This briefing highlights the impact that the livestock system has on the environment and communities both here and overseas.
An Effective Town Centre First Policy: what needs to be in the new PPS6
(PDF† format - 91K) Dec 2007
A joint statement from the Association of Convenience Stores, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth, Food Access Network and the National Federation of Women's Institutes.
Planting prejudice - executive summary
(PDF† format - 523K) Nov 2007
How UK Government support for GM crops undermines sustainable farming policies.
Shopping the Bullies
(PDF† format - 613K) Apr 2007
This report examines the tactics used by supermarkets to manipulate the planning system, and highlights why the planning system for retail needs to be strengthened, not weakened.
Farmer Survey 2006
(PDF† format - 54K) Dec 2006
Our survey of supermarket trading practices suggests that the big supermarkets are damaging the businesses of farmers across the country.
If Tesco really wants to be green…
(PDF† format - 88K) Jul 2006
This briefing examines the reality behind Tesco’s environmental claims, and highlights what Friends of the Earth believes Tesco should be doing if it is serious about the claims it has made.
Could GM food cause allergies?
(PDF† format - 188K) Jun 2006
New research has brought into question the safety of both new and previously approved GM foods.
Calling the shots
(PDF† format - 462K) Jan 2006
Through a series of case studies, this briefing exposes the strategies that supermarkets employ to ensure they get planning permission for new stores.
Britain's supermarkets still not supporting native apples
(PDF† format - 71K) Nov 2005
This briefing gives the results of our consumer survey of apple sourcing in a variety of retail outlets. For the fourth year running we found that the majority of apples sold in UK supermarkets during apple season were from outside the UK.
The
Tesco Takeover
(PDF format - 194K) Jun
2005
Over the past 10 years Tesco has become a giant among the world's retailers.
But the Tesco bonanza comes at a price for farmers, workers, town centres
and the environment, as this briefing reveals.
The
Tesco Takeover: Tesco's response
(PDF format - 128K) Jul
2005
Tesco have produced a response to the above report. Unfortunately
they pay little serious attention to the issues raised, instead simply
accusing us of inaccuracies. We discuss their response in this briefing
and stand by our original report.
The
Tesco Takeover - Leaflet
(PDF format - 153K) Jun
2005
Colour leaflet focusing on the impacts of Tesco's growth, covered
in more detail in the briefing above.
Checking
out the environment? Environmental impacts of supermarkets
(PDF format - 142K) Jun
2005
This briefing provides an outline of the environmental impacts of large
supermarket chains at the local, national and global scale.
Good
neighbours? Community impacts of supermarkets
(PDF
format - 110K) Jun 2005
This briefing looks at the economic and social effects of the competitive
policies of large supermarket chains, and the subsequent impacts on
local communities in the UK.
Summary
of Legal Opinion in the matter of co-existence, traceability and labelling
of GMOs
(PDF format - 18K) Mar
2005
One page summary of the new legal opinion below.
Legal
Opinion in the matter of co-existence, traceability and labelling of
GMOs
(PDF format - 181K) Mar
2005
New legal opinion criticising the European Commission and UK Government's
approach on GM crop co-existence with other crops as "fundamentally
flawed".
Government
to publish final GM Farm Scale Trial results: Winter oilseed rape
(PDF format - 220K) Mar
2005
The Government publishes the results of its field scale trials
of genetically modified (GM) winter oilseed rape on 21st March. These
are the final results from the Government’s Farm Scale Evaluations
of GM herbicide tolerant crops. This short briefing, by Friends of the
Earth, the GM Freeze Campaign and GeneWatch UK, covers many of the key
questions the results are likely to raise.
Children's
exposure to pesticides in apples and pears
(PDF format - 36K) Jul
2004
Peer reviewed and published research by Friends of the Earth shows that
up to 220 young children per day could be exposed to residue levels
in excess of internationally accepted safety levels just from eating
a single apple or pear. This occurred even when the pesticide residue
was below the legal limit and was a particular problem for imported
produce.
Bayer's
pesticides: why it is important that Bayer’s pesticide safety data
is freely available
(PDF format - 69K) Jun
2004
This briefing gives background information on Bayer’s pesticide
operations around the world and
looks at some of the available health and environmental safety information
for three of their pesticides.
Access to
information on pesticides
(PDF format - 89K) Jun
2004
The pesticide approval process remains one of the last strongholds of
secrecy, where corporations still wield enormous financial muscle to
try to minimise the public’s “right to know”. This briefing
outlines Friends of the Earth’s demands for greater transparency
on pesticides approvals
Every
Little Hurts: Why Tesco needs to be tamed
(PDF format - 60K) Jun
2004
Tesco's share of the grocery market gives it tremendous power over suppliers,
but evidence suggests that the supermarket giant is abusing
that power. Evidence from small shops, consumers, farmers and overseas
suppliers flags up the damage that Tesco is doing to communities and
the environment.
GM fodder
maize: why Chardon LL should not become the UK's first commercial GM
crop
(PDF format - 159K) Mar
2004
This briefing outlines the problems associated with GM maize and why
Friends of the Earth thinks it
would be a mistake for the Government to give it the commercial go-ahead.
Alliance
calls for new supermarket Code and Watchdog
(PDF format - 123K) Jan
2004
A new alliance of environmental, farming and consumer organisations
is calling for a new statutory code of practice to be imposed on the
biggest supermarkets and for a ‘retail regulator’ to be appointed
to ensure that the new code is enforced and is working effectively.
Home grown
apples in short supply...
(PDF format - 146K) Nov
2003
This briefing gives the results of our consumer survey of apple, potato
and carrot sourcing and pricing in a variety of retail outlets. For
the third year running we found that the biggest supermarkets are not
supporting UK apple growers.
Unleashing
a new pollution?
(PDF format - 636K) Jul
2003
One of the main concerns about the commercial growing of GM oilseed
rape is that it could cross breed with closely related plant species
that grow wild in the UK. Friends of the Earth has used the most recent
botanical survey data to map the location of these plants. The results
show that there is no "safe area" to grow GM oilseed rape.
Tesco: Exposed
(PDF format - 136K) Jun
2003
Friends of the Earth is attending AGMs to expose companies' records
of putting profit before people and the environment. This briefing reveals
how Tesco continues to make huge profits at the expense of farmers,
communities and the environment.
Farmers
and the supermarket Code of Practice
(PDF format - 108K) Mar
2003
The Supermarket Code of Practice has been
criticised for being too weak and there has been plenty of anecdotal
evidence that it is not working
effectively. This briefing reveals the results of a survey of farmers
in February 2003 to find out how farmers are faring under the Code and
in general under current market conditions.
Genetically Modified
Crops and Food
(PDF format) July 2001,
updated Jan 2003
A comprehensive introduction to the GM debate:
- What is GM?
- Concerns about GM crops and food
- GM crops and food in the UK
- Government failures
- Feeding the world
- Alternatives
British
Apples for Sale
(PDF†) November 2002
The results of our consumer survey of apple sourcing and pricing in
supermarkets, greengrocers and markets.
Supermarkets
and Great British Fruit
(PDF†) October 2002
The impossible conditions placed on British apple and pear growers
by supermarkets.
Pesticides
in Supermarket food
(PDF format 122K) Oct
2002, updated July 2004
This briefing shows how we rated supermarkets according to their current
and future policy on pesticides.
The pesticides
in our food
(PDF format - 155K) Sep
2002, updated Aug 2004
An overview of the types of pesticides that are found in our food and
why they are of concern.
Climate change,
Crisis and Southern Africa
(PDF†) August 2002
How the effects of climate change are likely to impact on Africa
- including the production of food.
Into the mouths of
babes
(PDF format - 54K) Mar
2002
Children are exposed to pesticides from the moment they are conceived
yet very little is know about the long term effects of this exposure.
The Government and supermarkets should do more to protect children from
pesticides.
Greening
the Red Tractor
(PDF format) Dec 2001
In June 2000, a new food mark - the British Farm Standard - was launched.
The logo is a Red Tractor and is being heavily promoted as providing
assurance that food bearing the mark has been produced to high environmental,
animal welfare and safety standards. Friends of the Earth feels that
the scheme, as it stands, fails to live up to its promises both to farmers
and consumers.
Do
we really know what pesticides are in our food?
(PDF format - 73K) Dec
2001
A review of the testing procedures used to assess the amounts of pesticide
residues in food.
Endocrine
Disrupting Pesticides - European Priority List
(PDF format) Feb 2000
Pesticides on the European Commission's Priority list should be banned
or have their approval suspended. This is because the list identifies
chemicals, including pesticides, which are believed to damage health
by interfering with the way hormones work.
Farmers'
Briefing: GM Crops and Animal Feed
July 2000
This briefing is intended to help farmers assess whether or not to grow
genetically modified (GM) crops and to highlight the risks of GM animal
feeds.
Contaminated
GM Crops
(PDF format) May 2000
The accidental' release of GM oilseed rape into the UK countryside.
Endocrine
disrupting pesticides
Oct 1999
Endocrine disrupting pesticide residues in food pose a significant health
risk to humans. The scientific information currently available suggests
a highly precautionary approach is needed to avoid serious health problems
in the future.
Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use
(PDF† format - 898K) Feb 2008
Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use: executive summary
(PDF† format - 956K) Feb 2008
Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use: Q&A
(PDF† format - 35K) Feb 2008
Who benefits from GM crops? Monsanto and the corporate-driven genetically modified crop revolution
(PDF† format - 843K) Jan 2006
Who benefits from GM crops: Key Facts
(PDF† format - 46K) Jan 2006
The
oil for ape scandal: How palm oil is threatening the orang-utan
(PDF† 448K) Sept
2005
This summary report links the demand for palm oil, a vegetable oil found
in 1 in 10 supermarket products, to the impending extinction of the
orang-utan, rainforest destruction and human rights abuses.
An analysis
of the findings of the BRIGHT trials with GM herbicide tolerant crops
(PDF format 352K) March
2005
This report considers the findings of the BRIGHT project (Botanical
and Rotational Implications of Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerance
in winter oilseed rape and sugar beet), a four year study, jointly funded
by Government and industry, which was intended to consider the agronomic
and environmental issues of growing genetically modified herbicide tolerant
crops.
Breaking
the pesticide chain
(PDF format - 699K) Jul
2003
From July 2003, 320 pesticide active ingredients are being withdrawn
from the European market as a result of an ongoing safety review of
all pesticides by the European Commission. This report examines the
reasons behind the withdrawal of so many pesticides, and the extent
to which this will benefit human health and the environment. It addresses
the question of why existing alternatives to pesticides have not been
made available to UK farmers.
Science as a
smokescreen?
(PDF format 793K) March
2002
It seems likely that the conclusions of the Farm Scale Evaluations of
GM herbicide tolerant crops will be uncertain and may simply raise further
questions. It is vital that this is acknowledged, and that equivocal
results are not used as a smokescreen for Government decisions that
are motivated by a political desire to proceed with the commercialisation
of GM crops.
Get real about
food and farming - Friends of the Earth's vision for the future of farming
in the UK
(PDF format) October
2001
Farming is in crisis. For half a century, food and farming policy has
put production ahead of food quality and environmental protection. Get
real about food and farming is a clear blueprint with practical policy
recommendations for improving every step of the food chain.
The great food
gamble
(PDF format) May 2001
GM food and feed safety are a matter of hot debate. This report outlines
the methods that are used to assess the safety of these new foods before
they go on the market. It suggests that the current systems fall short
of what is expected by the public.
Friends of the Earth's press releases for the Real Food campaign.
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