Archived press release

Cornwall goes GM free

1 April 2003

Cornwall County Council today voted to go GM-free, joining a growing protest against GM crops at local authority level across the country. The decision has been warmly welcomed by Friends of the Earth which launched a GM-free Britain Campaign [1] in October last year.

Pressure to go GM-free is particularly strong in the south west of England with South Gloucestershire and South Hams District Council voting to go GM-free in February this year. Devon County Council has stated its opposition to GM trials, and called on the South West Regional Assembly to take a position on GM. North Radstock Town Council also voted to go GM-free in December 2002.

In a full meeting, Cornwall County Council voted to keep the County of Cornwall free of GM crops and GM food and feed, and to call on the Secretary of State to provide legal protection for this County as a GM free area, under European law. Under this law, councils can request legal protection of their areas from particular GM crops [3]

Friends of the Earth GM Coordinator in the South West Keith Hatch said:

"This is fantastic news for people in Cornwall and in the whole of the South West. The public have made it clear they do not want GM crops in Cornwall, or anywhere else in the region. The Regional Assembly must now act to protect the area as a whole.

Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"Friends of the Earth is delighted that Cornwall County Council has voted to go GM-free. Around Britain there is growing opposition to GM crops and food. Cornwall's decision sends a strong message to the Government that local people don't want their food, farms and environment threatened by GM crops. It is time now for the Government to listen and not allow GM crops to be grown for sale in the UK".

Calls for GM-free areas are also being considered in other parts of Britain. The Lake District National Park Authority announced that it will hold a major conference with other National Parks Authorities to consider becoming GM-free. And the National Assembly for Wales is maintaining its GM-free stance.

The Government is expected to decide later this year whether or not to allow GM crops to be commercially grown across the UK. Commercialisation risks widespread GM contamination of food, crops and the environment. An NOP survey published in October showed that 57 per cent do not want GM crops to be commercially grown across the UK.

Notes

[1] www.GMFreeBritain.com

[2] Cornwall County Council voted in favour of the following resolution:

(a) This Council recognises that :-

• genetic modification of crop plants is a relatively new branch of science and technology;

• there is still scientific debate about the safety of GM crops;

• the commercial growing of GM crops presents legal, economic, social and ethical problems that have not yet been properly addressed:

and declares that :-

the County of Cornwall will be kept free of GM crops and GM food and feed;

(b) to that end, this Council commits to :-

• requesting the Secretary of State for agriculture to provide legal protection for this County as a GM free area, in line with Article 19 of 2001/18/EC

• ensuring that no GM crops are grown on land over which it has control

• adopting a GM free policy for all goods and services for which this Council is responsible; and

(c) the Community Life Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee investigate how best the County Council should contribute to the Government's consultation dialogue involving a GM Public Debate Steering Board (The Board to report by September 2003).

[3] Article 19 of the Deliberate Release Directive 2001/19/EC. For more explanation see briefing on GM-Free local areas: www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/gmfree_local_areas.pdf (PDF† 146K)

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust