Archived press release

Frankenstein food companies named and shamed

26 April 1998

Friends of the Earth today 'name and shame' the biotech companies now testing genetically engineered crops (known as “Frankenstein foods” or “X-foods”) in the UK countryside. The(attached) list of companies is dominated by multinational agro-chemical companies, including American giant Monsanto and German-based AgrEvo. Last month, FOE published details of more than 300 test sites for such crops across the UK, some the size of 100 football pitches.New figures released to FOE by the Department of Environment show that the true number of sites where testing has taken place since 1993 is now 526, of which 332 are still active.

The company list is published after news that Agriculture Minister Jeff Rooker has admitted to Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee that the Government will not place a moratorium on the growing of genetically engineered crops, despite calls from their wildlife advisors, English Nature. Friends of the Earth believes that there are grounds to stop genetically engineered crops from being grown commercially, both in European and national law. Both Austria and Luxembourg have bans in place and France currently has a moratorium.Without a moratorium, genetically engineered crops could be grown before the MAFF's own research into the environmental effects of these crops is complete. The research is due to be finished in the year 2000.

Although no genetically engineered crops can currently be grown commercially in this country,the UK could next year become the first country in Europe to grow a weedkiller-resistant oilseed rape developed by German chemical company AgrEvo. Opinion polls have consistently shown the public to be against food being produced in using genetic engineering.A Gallup poll in March this year for Iceland supermarkets showed 77% of the public aware of the issue had reservations.

Commenting, FOE food campaigner Adrian Bebb said today:

“Our new evidence shows the shocking extent of testing of genetically engineered foods across the UK. Most of this testing has taken place with little or no public scrutiny or approval. Greedy agribusiness multi-nationals are already pushing the British Government to give into their demands and allow large scale commercial growth of these crops. But the public does not want these x-foods in the shops and their homes. Jeff Rooker's back-tracking on this issue is totally unacceptable. The Government must impose a moratorium on the commercial growth of these crops, at the very least until its own testing programme has been completed and properly evaluated.”

62% of current test sites are being run by Monsanto, AgrEvo and Novartis
76.5% of current test sites are using herbicide tolerant crops

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SCOTLAND

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust