Archived press release

Dorset demands caution over GM crops

24 April 2003

Today Dorset became the latest council in the south west to voice deep concern over GM crops and food, joining Cornwall and Devon in calling on the South West Regional Assembly to take a position on GM. Friends of the Earth, which launched its GM-free Britain campaign last year [1], welcomed the move, but said it was disappointed the council had not taken a stronger stance.

GM-free Dorset campaigners, including local farmers and beekeepers, demonstrated outside the meeting, urging councillors to go further and bid for GM-free status in the county. The resolution passed at the full council session urges the Government not to go ahead with commercial growing of GM crops in the UK until damage to human health, the environment and farmers' livelihoods is ruled out. It also calls for a south west regional position on GM; says the council will ensure that GM foods are not supplied in council services such as school meals and says the council will investigate establishing a local food procurement policy [2].

The vote was close with nearly half of councillors (16 to 21) wanting to go further and declare the county GM-free and use a new EU law to stop GM crops being grown in the county [3].

Pressure for a GM-free South West is growing with South Gloucestershire, Cornwall, South Hams District Council and Norton Radstock Town Council voting to go GM-free. Devon County Council has stated its opposition to GM trials. The South West Regional Assembly Environment Group is to discuss its position on GM crops in June.

Friends of the Earth GM Co-ordinator in the South West Keith Hatch said:

"Farmers, beekeepers and concerned members of the public from all over the county have travelled to Dorchester today to urge Dorset council to go GM-free. Although the council hasn't gone as far as it could to stop GM crops being grown in the county, it has made some really positive steps in the right direction, joining Cornwall and Devon's calls for a south west position on GM. The public has made it clear they do not want GM crops in Dorset, or anywhere else in the region. The Regional Assembly must now act to protect the area as a whole.

The Government is expected to decide later this year whether to allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the UK. Commercialisation risks widespread GM contamination of food, crops and the environment.

Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"Friends of the Earth welcomes Dorset County Council's call for caution over GM crops and food. It wants the Government to wait until it can prove that they will not damage our health, our environment and farmers' livelihoods. Too many questions about these impacts remain unanswered and we should not be rushing headlong down the GM road until answers have been provided. The Government must listen and not allow GM crops to be grown for sale in the UK".

Notes

[1] www.GMFreeBritain.com

[2] The majority of councillors (21 out of 37) supported the following motion (The remaining 16 councillors wanted to go further and declare the county GM-free and use a new EU law to prevent GM crops being grown in Dorset, see [3]):

• "That Dorset County Council informs the government of its concerns about the potential implications for genetic modification technology and asks that commercial implementation should not be approved until such time as scientific evidence has shown that there are no harmful impacts on human or animal health or the environment.

• That the views of the County Council be raised at the South West Regional Assembly with the object of establishing a South West position.

• That, so far as practicable, no food labelled as genetically modified be supplied in any County Council establishment.

• That officers prepare a report for consideration by the Cabinet at a future meeting as to whether the County Council should adopt procurement policies which encourage the provision of food from local sources.

• That the County Council urges the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that British Agriculture suffers no economic disadvantage whatever decision on commercial growing of genetically modified crops may be taken after this year's national debate."

[3] Article 19 of Directive 2001/18/EC.

The 16 councillors wanting to go further wanted the County Council to consider each prospective GMO marketing consent (under directive 2001/18/EC), and where appropriate write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the European Commission seeking a condition under Article 19(3)(c) that exempts Dorset from the scope of such consent.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust