Government may ignore public opinion on GM crops19 May 2003
Friends of the Earth reacted angrily to comments by Environment Minister Michael Meacher suggesting that the Government may allow GM crops to be grown commercially in the UK regardless of public opinion. The Government's public consultation on GM crops begins in June.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Farming today, Mr Meacher said that a ban on GM crops would be illegal unless there is scientific proof that they harm people or the environment. Last week the US made a formal complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the EU's de-facto moratorium on issuing new GM licenses.
Major issues such as the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops and liability for economic and environmental harm are still being hotly debated in Europe and the UK.
"The public has made it perfectly clear that they do not want to eat GM food," said Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner, Pete Riley. "Allowing GM crops to be commercially grown would threaten our food, farming and environment with GM pollution, and take away people's right to say no to GMOs (genetically modified organisms). There is genuine scientific uncertainty surrounding the potential impacts these crops have on people, the environment and the food chain. But this Government is so pro-GM it chooses to ignore them.
"Next month, the Government is launching its public debate on GM crops. But if it is to have any credibility, ministers must guarantee beforehand that if the public say they don't want GM crops, the Government will not give them the commercial go-ahead. Without that guarantee, there seems little point in debating the issue."
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