Archived press release

Hertfordshire goes gm-free

11 May 2004

Hertfordshire County Council voted to go GM-free at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. The Cabinet also proposed that the East of England Regional Assembly adopts a policy of seeking to prevent the growth of GM crops in the region [1].

Hertfordshire joins a growing number of local councils around the country opposing GM crops and foods. Friends of the Earth welcomed the decision which comes as Monsanto announced its withdrawal from the commercial development of GM wheat [2].

Over 50 local authorities have now voted for GM free policies [3]. These include opposing the growing of GM crops on council land and banning GM ingredients in catering, such as school meals. More than half the authorities, including Hertfordshire, will also apply to prevent GM crops being grown across their entire areas (should any GM crops be given permission to be commercially grown in the UK), using a new European law [4].

Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"The Government cannot ignore the growing number of local authorities across the country wanting to remain GM-free. It's high time this dangerous biotech experiment was abandoned for once and for all and more effort put into truly sustainable methods of farming."

Friends of the Earth believes that no GM crops should be grown, including further trials, until new laws are in place to prevent contamination of organic and conventional crops, and to ensure that biotechnology companies are held liable if things go wrong.

Notes

1. Hertfordshire CC Cabinet's decision:

The Cabinet welcomes the recommendations of the Environment Scrutiny Committee and resolves to:

1. Maintain the current policy of advising tenants on the Rural Estate not to grow GM crops.
2. Ensure that new tenancies include a prohibition against growing GM crops.
3. Continue the policy of requiring school meals and other |catering contractors to only provide foodstuffs that are free of GM organisms.
4. Make an application to the relevant authorities under Article 19.3(c) of Directive 2001/18/EC to exempt Hertfordshire from the area of consent should an application for EU marketing consent be sought for any GM crop in the future.
5. Propose that the East of England Regional Assembly adopts a policy of seeking to prevent the growth of GM crops in the region.

2. GM giant Monsanto announced yesterday that they were dropping plans to commercialise GM wheat.

3. A (high resolution) map of GM free areas is available from the press office at Friends of the Earth. Those areas coloured green have passed the strongest policies to oppose GM crops and food. Local authorities that have passed GM-free resolutions are:

County councils: Cornwall,* Cumbria,* Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Warwickshire*, Lancashire, Shropshire*, Oxfordshire*, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire*, Hertfordshire*, Hampshire*, Unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset, Brighton and Hove City Council*, Bristol City Council*, South Gloucestershire*, York City Council*, London Borough of Southwark*, Newcastle, Dudley Metropolitan Borough council*, Gravesham borough council*, Districts: South Hams (Devon)*, South Somerset*, Penwith (SW), Ryedale*, East Riding of Yorkshire *, Chesterfield, Wokingham*, Wealden (E Sussex), Mid Devon*, Weymouth, West Lindsey, Bournemouth, Colchester* National Parks Authorities Lake District National Parks Authority*, North York Moors, Scotland: Highland Council, West Lothian* Town/Parish councils: Bridport (Dorset), Norton Radstock (within Bath & NE Somerset), Goole (East Yorkshire), Edenthorpe Parish Council. (Those with an * have committed to using the new EU legislation - see below.

4. Councils can request legal protection for their areas from particular GM crops using Article 19 of the Deliberate Release Directive 2001/18/EC. For more explanation see briefing on GM-Free local areas:

www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/gmfree_local_areas.pdf (PDF† format)

†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.

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