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Monsanto in court over GM crop safety
17 February 1999
Photo Opportunity:
Frankenstein will be outside Caistor Magistrates. Campaigners will also be in attendance carrying placards
Friends of the Earth is calling on the Health and Safety Executive to request that the forthcoming prosecution of leading biotech company, Monsanto - for allegedly failing to comply with safety rules governing trial planting of genetically modified (GM) crops - be referred to the Crown Court. The maximum fine that the Magistrates Court can impose is
20,000. An unlimited fine can be imposed by the Crown Court.
The court case, on Wednesday 17 February, is being brought by the Health and Safety Executive following an inspection (on 5 June 1998) of a trial site of GM winter oilseed rape at Rothwell in Lincolnshire. Monsanto has said it is not contesting the case. Perryfield Holdings is also being prosecuted over the same alleged incident.
Pete Riley, Senior Food Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:
"The public is deeply worried about the release of genetic pollution into the environment. And rightly so. If a company has broken the rules and put the environment at risk then it should be punished. This case is serious enough to go to the Crown Court,where the judge can hand out a large fine if the company is found guilty."
1. The companies concerned are alleged to have contravened Section 111 (1)
of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
