Pembrokeshire Farmer makes anti-GM pilgrimage

Photo Opportunities:

6 October, 10 am: Mathry (nr. Fishguard), Pembrokeshire
7 October, 2 - 3.30 pm: Carmarthen
8 October, 12.30 PM: National Assembly, Cardiff Bay
8 October, 6pm approx: Abergavenny
13 October: London
(more dates to be confirmed)

Feature Opportunity:

We would like newspapers around Wales to join the campaign by asking their readers to send anti-GM messages on paper vegetables.

Campaign groups Friends of the Earth Cymru and GM Free Cymru are asking people from around Wales to send messages of support to farmer Gerald Miles as he drives his tractor from Pembrokeshire to London to protest against genetically modified (GM) crops.

Gerald will be leaving his organic farm in St Davids, Pembrokeshire on Monday October 6th and arriving in London on Monday October 13th where he will join hundreds of consumers, environmentalists and farmers at a central London Tractors and Trolleys Parade against GM [1].

Gerald will be calling in at the Welsh Assembly building on Wednesday 8th October from where he will be sent off on his pilgrimage with messages of support from Assembly Members and the people of Wales.

At the Assembly, the campaigners will garland Gerald's tractor with messages of support on paper fruit and vegetables. People are invited to send their "message on a vegetable" to Gerald Miles, c/o Friends of the Earth Cymru, 33 Castle Arcade Balcony, Cardiff, CF10 1BY or via the Friends of the Earth Cymru website: www.foecymru.co.uk.

The Tractors and Trolleys Parade comes at the end of a summer of anti-GM activity triggered by the Government's GM Nation debate. Both the UK and Welsh Assembly Governments have to make important decisions on the commercialisation of GM crops in the UK in the coming months [2].

Friends of the Earth Cymru and GM Free Cymru are part of an Alliance with the Farmers' Union of Wales and the National Federation of Women's Institutes - Wales which is calling for Wales to stay GM-Free [3].

Gerald Miles, organic farmer and member of GM-free Cymru said:
"As a farmer I am concerned that no-one knows the impact of GM on our health or the environment. I believe planting GM crops on a commercial scale is not a risk we should be taking especially as consumer demand for non-GM food is overwhelming. GM crops, whether planted commercially or as trials, will inevitably contaminate both non-GM and organic crops.

"If the Government does go ahead with the commercialisation of GM, it will put our seed purchases and chemicals under corporate control and it will be another nail in the farming coffin. I am planning to drive my tractor all the way from Pembrokeshire to London to join the Tractors and Trolleys Parade to draw attention to our concerns".

Julian Rosser, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru commented,
"People in Wales have made it clear that they do not want GM crops in their countryside or GM food on their plates. We hope that people from around Wales will send a message of support to Gerald for him to take on to Cardiff Bay and Westminster."

Notes

[1] The London event is organised by Friends of the Earth, the Five Year Freeze, Genetic Engineering Network and GM-free Cymru. At least 10 individuals plan to make the pilgrimage to London; with one walking from Scotland and one cycling from Land's End. Others will walk or cycle from Devon, Yorkshire, Brighton, Cambridge, Essex, and Birmingham. The pilgrimages will take in significant locations en route including GM crop test sites, biotech companies and local farmers markets, and will be supported by local activities and send off actions.

[2] The first GM seed, ChardonLL, is approaching addition to the UK "National List" of available seed varieties in the face of massive opposition from farming, environmental and consumer groups. The decision to add the seed to the list must be made jointly by the UK Government and the devolved administrations, including the Welsh Assembly.
www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/press_releases/ ¬
2003/pants_to_gm.html

[3] www.foe.co.uk/cymru/English/press_releases/ ¬
2002/gm_five_point_plan.html