FOE challenges Government to listen to public feeling about GM foods27 October 1999
Friends of the Earth (FOE) has challenged the Government to impose a genuine moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops. The call follows speculation that the Government is preparing a new announcement on GM food. This may extend the one year voluntary, so-called, 'moratorium' on commercial growing previously negotiated with the biotech industry body, SCIMAC, for a further three years.
Friends of the Earth has urged the Government to meet five key demands:
- Call a minimum five-year moratorium to enable the need for GM food and crops to be publically debated; key research on food safety to be carried out and to develop a regulatory system which genuinely involves the general public.
- Abandon the farm-scale trials because of the risk of cross-pollination with neighbouring crops and wild relatives of the crop.
- Suspend any proposal to put GM seeds on to the National Seed List.
- Abstain or vote against any applications to market GM foods at an EU level.
- Introduce a new law which places strict liability for any harm caused by GM crops or GM food on biotechnology companies.
Liana Stupples, Campaigns Director of Friends of the Earth said:
"The Government has announced more policy shifts in this area than Tony Blair has had GM hot dinners. The latest spin about an extended moratorium may not be the good news it appears. The public are rightly concerned about the possible threat GM crops pose to health and the environment. If the Government doesn't meet our five demands, that concern will only grow."
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