Biting back at GM crops2 October 2003
Friends of the Earth bared their gums during this year's Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth. On Monday, MP and former Minister for the Environment Michael Meacher joined anti-GM campaigners and consumers in a "bite-back" frenzy at George W. Bush.
The action, launched 11th September, was a response to the US attempt to force feed GM crops to UK consumers via the World Trade Organisation. The campaign invites people to make their own legal submission to the WTO, urging them to dismiss the US complaint.
Tuesday morning saw a more serious discussion in a well attended fringe meeting organised by Friends of the Earth. Joan Ruddock MP chaired a panel formed by Michael Meacher MP, organic farmer John Turner and Tony Juniper, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth.
Juniper started off the discussion outlining the arguments against GM and offering the Government a Rescue Recipe to get it out of its own mess. Turner contributed his first hand experience of UK farming and explained how GM crops would most certainly mean the death of organic farming.
I cannot see that the government could logically, consistently, or
morally go ahead [allowing GM crops to be commercially planted]
Michael Meacher MP,
Former Minister for the Environment
Meacher, after thanking Tony Blair for his just regained freedom of speech, demolished the Government arguments one by one and demanded the need for a lot more research on GM before any decisions are taken.
The discussion that ensued was dominated by consumers' concerns about their future right to choose GM free. It made evident that there is no demand for GM amongst ordinary people and no faith in the Government to make the right decision on the issue.
Get these updates first
If you would like these news updates to be emailed to you as soon as they come out, then join our real food mailing list.
Register Here
Image: © Ian Jackson/Friends of the Earth
© Ian Jackson/Friends of the Earth
