Archived press release

Government in GM spin

21 May 1999

"We cannot at present know whether there are any serious risks to the environment or to human health involved in producing GM crops or consuming GM food products. Adverse effects are likely to be irreversible": British Medical Association

Friends of the Earth has slammed the Government's announcement on GM food policy as"miserably inadequate". The new Human Genetics Commission and Agricultural and Environment Biotechnology Commission are insufficient steps to deal with key problems with GM technology.

The announcement fails to allay public concern about the possible health effects of GM food. The Government has published a paper by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA), and claims that there is no evidence of adverse effects from GM food. But a Cabinet Office letter leaked to Friends of the Earth on Wednesday this week shows that the paper has been rewritten on the instructions of Ministers on the so-called "Biotechnology Presentation Group", which exists to spin GM policy to the public.FOE is demanding that the Government should publish, the original version which went to the Cabinet's Biotechnology Committee [Misc 6]. This version concluded that not enough research had been done either on the health or environmental effects of GM food and crops. FOE has revealed that the Government's own health research will not complete until 2001, and the results of farm

scale trials will not be fully available until 2003 at the earliest.

The announcement allows for creeping commercialisation. The Government has already allowed commercial growing. Last October Environment Minister Michael Meacher and Agriculture Minister Jeff Rooker said in a joint statement that "there has been agreement that there will be no commercial growing of any GM crops for at least a year. The matter will be subject to further review as we move through this year. With regard to insect resistant GM crops, we have agreement through SCIMAC that there will be no planting of any such crops for at least three years." But FOE today reveals that biotech giant AgrEvo has already been granted a marketing consent (under Part C of EU Directive 90/220/EEC)for GM fodder maize. The Department of Environment has confirmed to FOE that "consent holders are not obliged to inform DETR when, where and how much" of Part C crops they grow. Today, FOE has published details of the four farms where GM fodder maize is now being grown, in Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire.

The voluntary code of practice produced by the GM industry body SCIMAC (the Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops) is "feeble". Environmental monitoring of GM crops will be left to the industry. Farmers growing GM crops do not have to take proper steps to protect farm biodiversity. Safety barriers to prevent contamination of non-GM crops are inadequate. Organic farmers will not be legally protected from GM contamination. On 21st April 1999, Agriculture Minister Jeff Rooker admitted (on Radio 4's Today Programme)that a voluntary code was necessary because there is no Parliamentary time to give it legal force.

The announcement fails to deal with the issue of liability: Who is responsible if there is environmental or health damage caused by GM crops? Is it the biotech companies? Is it the farmer who has grown the crop? Is it the food processor or the retailer? Friends of the Earth believes that liability should be strict and extend to Directors of biotech companies.There should also be a Compensation Fund established for organic farmers and others who may suffer losses as a result of the development of GM food and crops. Oil seed rape pollen has been already shown by the Scottish Crop Research Institute to travel (because of bees) for distances of up to 4 km.

On public consultation, FOE has dismissed the Government's exercise as "cosmetic". In effect, the public have already voted against GM food with their wallets. For example, one Unilever GM food product has already seen sales drop by 50% in the last 6 weeks, and the company has had 3000 calls to their consumer helpline. Supermarkets, restaurants, fast food chains and key food processors have already withdrawn GM products from sale.

Other key problems not addressed by the Government's announcement include the need to ban antibiotic marker genes (such as those in Novartis BT maize which is already in our food chain, although not yet grown in the UK). Such genes could increase human resistance to prescribed antibiotics and therefore make them medically ineffective.

Commenting, FOE Executive Director Charles Secrett said:

"The Government is trying to spin its way out of the GM crisis. It has only succeeded in whizzing round and round in ever decreasing circles. This miserably inadequate announcement fails to deal with any of the key issues that worry the public and the experts alike. No attempt has been made to tackle the creeping commercial development of GM crops. No action has been taken to deal with issues of liability and compensation when things go wrong. Nothing has been done to give the Code of Practice for GM testing any legal force. We need a five year freeze on the commercial development of GM crops. We need it now. Setting up new advisory committees is not enough. Jack Cunningham can continue spinning until he is green in the face. The public will never buy his genetically modified propaganda."

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust