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02 Jun 2000
DIG THEM UP!
GM Seed Company Bows to Inevitable In Seed Row
Friends of the Earth has welcomed the news that Advanta Seeds is to pay compensation to farmers who accidentally grew their GM-contaminated oilseed rape.
But FOE warned that these incidents would happen again, because of the inadequate regulation of the GM trials programme in Britain, and because of poor regulation and testing of crop imports. FOE also demanded that all the affected crops be destroyed and not sold outside the EU. Advanta to should face possible prosecution under the Environmental Protection Act.
Commenting, Charles Secrett, Director of FOE, said:
“We're pleased that Advanta have finally faced up to the inevitable and agreed to pay farmers facing heavy losses through no fault of their own. But we're angry that it took the Government and the company so long to own up in public to the fiasco.Contamination incidents will happen again. And the Government has utterly failed to sort out a system for determining liability for damage caused by GM crops.Farmers, insurers and investors must be thinking hard tonight about whether this is an industry they want to have anything to do with.”
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
