Scarecrows across Wales demand GM free fields

This Saturday (30 October), scarecrows and local anti-GM campaigners around Wales will call on MPs and Assembly Members to back tough laws to keep Welsh food and fields GM-free. They will be encouraging people to sign "scarecrow petitions" to send local MPs and AMs challenging them to support tough new laws preventing GM contamination.

The launch is part of a day of action involving around 50 local Friends of the Earth groups across the UK and comes as the UK and Assembly Governments prepare to consult over GM crop 'coexistence' with conventional crops.

Friends of the Earth Cymru has written to Assembly Agriculture Minister Carwyn Jones asking for reassurances that the Assembly Government will legislate for zero contamination from GM crops in Wales [1].

Whilst there are no GM crops currently being grown in the UK , the threat of GM planting remains. There are at least 10 applications to grow GM crops awaiting approval in Europe . If given the go ahead, farmers would be allowed to grow them in the UK . The Governments have started looking at what practical measures will be needed to allow GM crops to be grown, such as separation distances. A public consultation is due to start imminently [2]

A recent NOP World poll showed that sixty three percent of the Welsh public support tough new laws to prevent GM contamination of their food and farming [3]. But the UK Government looks set to design 'coexistence' measures to allow for widespread GM contamination of conventional crops and food [4]. In response, anti-GM scarecrows have left their fields and are taking to the streets to support local actions and events across the country to help protect local food and farming from GM contamination.

Friends of the Earth Cymru Director Julian Rosser commented:

"Two-thirds of the Welsh public want tough new laws to protect their food and farming from GM contamination if GM crops are ever grown here. Unfortunately, the UK Government is planning to allow widespread GM pollution of our food crops. This is totally unacceptable. We are challenging the Assembly to pass tougher legislation in Wales and we hope they will do everything they can to prevent the Government threatening our right to choose GM free food."

Friends of the Earth Cymru believes that Wales should stay GM-free but says that if the Government makes the mistake of allowing GM crops to be grown, tough rules must be put in place that ensure no GM contamination of non-GM crops in neighbouring fields [5].

Notes

[1] Text of letter:

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Dear Carwyn

Genetically Modified Crops

I am writing to raise a number of issues about genetically modified crops.

We have been very concerned by indications that the UK Government appears to be preparing to frame coexistence legislation so as to allow up to 0.9% GM contamination of conventional and organic crops. Contrary to this, we have been relieved at indications that WAG is intending to legislate with the intention of "minimising" contamination, with 0.9% being seen as a worst case scenario. In order to minimise contamination it would seem that coexistence legislation should be framed in order to achieve zero contamination.

I would be grateful if you would confirm that it is WAG's intention to "minimise" contamination through coexistence legislation and if you would agree that this means seeking zero contamination.

Given the different policy contexts which exist within WAG and DEFRA it is troubling that you intend to produce the same consultation document on coexistence. The legislation should not just be written in the context of European direction but should have full regard to the WAG policy of operating the most restrictive regime. Our preference, in fact, would be for it to comply with the WAG stance as explained by Rhodri Morgan in the Assembly Chamber on 15 October 2002 : "Our policy is for Wales to be GM-free". Given the difference in approach between the administrations we are concerned that the production of a common consultation document will make it impossible to properly gather views on a range of possible approaches. We understand that GM Free Cymru has asked that WAG issues its own consultation on the issue of coexistence within the Welsh context. We support that request.

I would like to turn finally to the issue of the cross party GM strategy group. There are many controversial and complicated issues connected with GM issues which are likely to come before the Assembly over the coming years. The issue of coexistence is just one such issue. We have seen in the Assembly chamber over recent weeks the difficulties that can arise when complicated issues are dealt with in a highly politicised environment.

The GM strategy group has, in the past, been able to deal with some of the controversial issues surrounding GM crops in a measured and considered way. The reformation of a cross-party group to consider these issues would allow for more reflection and give an opportunity to build a political consensus on how to implement Assembly policy. I urge you to support the re-establishment of such a group. I understand that you may consider this a matter for the Environment, Planning and Countryside Committee so I shall copy this to Alun Ffred Jones with a request that the issue be raised at a future meeting.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Julian Rosser
Director

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[2] The UK Government announced plans for its consultation on GM 'coexistence and liability' on Friday 16th July 2004 . It is planning a joint consultation with the Welsh Assembly Government and other devolved authorities soon. DEFRA press release: www.defra.gov.uk/news/2004/040716a.htm

[3] The NOP World survey for Friends of the Earth interviewed 2002 adults aged 15+ by telephone between 2-11 July. They were asked: "Genetically Modified (GM) crops may contaminate non GM crops in neighbouring fields, or during handling and processing, which could lead to GM contamination of food. Would you support laws that prevent contamination occurring, or do you think that contamination is worth the risk because of the benefits of genetic modification?" Weights were applied to the data to bring it in line with national profiles.

[4] The Government is planning to consult on practical measures designed to allow up to 0.9 per cent GM contamination of non-GM crops. "Defra will consult on: a proposal that farmers growing GM crops should comply with a code of practice on co-existence which has statutory backing, with the aim of ensuring that unwanted GM presence in non-GM crops is within the 0.9% labelling threshold adopted by the EU . www.defra.gov.uk/news/2004/040716a.htm The Welsh Assembly Government is currently planning to issue the same consultation document - raising concerns that it will stick to the same line as DEFRA.

[5] Friends of the Earth Cymru believes that any 'coexistence' regime must be designed to eliminate GM contamination to the lowest detectable level, currently agreed to be 0.1 per cent, in order to protect consumer and farmer choice for GM free crops and food.