Archived press release

Scarecrows Lobby Parliament to Keep Fields GM-free

21 July 2004

Nearly two-thirds of the British population support tough new laws to prevent GM crops contaminating our food and farming, a new NOP World survey for Friends of the Earth reveals today [1]. The poll results are published as scarecrows descend on Parliament to meet with supportive MPs [2] and lobby the Government to protect the countryside and keep their fields GM-free.

A Government consultation on `coexistence' (between GM and non-GM crops) and liability was announced last week and will run until the end of the year [3]. In response, anti-GM scarecrows have left the fields and are taking to the streets to support local actions and events across the country to help protect local food and farming from GM contamination.

While there are no GM crops currently being grown in Britain, the threat of future planting has not gone away:

• There are at least 10 applications to grow GM crops awaiting EU approval. If approval is granted, GM crops could be grown in the UK within the next three or four years.

• There are currently no laws outlining what measures must be taken to prevent GM crops contaminating non-GM varieties in neighbouring fields.

• The Government is considering designing `coexistence' measures to allow for some GM contamination of non-GM crops.

• It is unclear who would be liable for any economic damage to farmers' livelihoods or environmental damage caused by GM crops.

Friends of the Earth says that any rules must aim for zero presence of GM in non-GM crops [4].

The NOP World survey for Friends of the Earth reveals that 64 per cent of the public support new laws to prevent GM crops contaminating non-GM crops in neighbouring fields or during handling and processing. Only 17 per cent said that the possible benefits of GM outweigh the risks. Earlier this month a Committee of MPs looked at GM `co-existence and liability' and said that "the Government cannot allow the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the United Kingdom until there is clarification of these critical issues" [5].

Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"Two-thirds of the UK public want tough new laws to protect their food and farming from GM contamination if GM crops are ever grown here. Unfortunately, the Government is planning to allow some GM pollution of our food crops. This is totally unacceptable. The British public wants GM-free food, not a spineless Government compromise that would lead to widespread GM contamination, and take away our right to choose GM-free food."

[1] The NOP World survey for Friends of the Earth interviewed 2002 adults aged 15+ by telephone between 2-11 July. They were asked: "Genetically Modified (GM) crops may contaminate non GM crops in neighbouring fields, or during handling and processing, which could lead to GM contamination of food. Would you support laws that prevent contamination occurring, or do you think that contamination is worth the risk because of the benefits of genetic modification?" Weights were applied to the data to bring it in line with national profiles.

Regional breakdowns show:

West Country - 69% Carlton/LWT- 69% Tyne Tees - 67% Granada - 67%

Meridian - 67% Wales (HTV region) - 63% Scotland - 62% Yorkshire - 60%

Anglia - 55% Central - 59%

[2] The scarecrows, traditional protectors of crops, will launch a new national campaign by meeting MPs from all parties -former environment minister Michael Meacher, Lib Dem Rural Affairs spokesman Andrew George, Greg Barker (Conservative), Joan Ruddock and Alan Simpson (both Labour) - outside the House of Commons.

[3]The Government announced plans for its consultation on GM `coexistence and liability' on Friday 16th July. It is planning to hold meetings with a limited number of `specific stakeholders' over the summer and consult more widely from the autumn. DEFRA press release: www.defra.gov.uk/news/2004/040716a.htm

[4] The Government is believed to be planning to consult on practical measures designed to allow up to 0.9 per cent GM contamination of non-GM crops. "Defra will consult on: a proposal that farmers growing GM crops should comply with a code of practice on co-existence which has statutory backing, with the aim of ensuring that unwanted GM presence in non-GM crops is within the 0.9% labelling threshold adopted by the EU. www.defra.gov.uk/news/2004/040716a.htm . Friends of the Earth believes that any `coexistence' regime must be designed to eliminate GM contamination to the lowest detectable level, currently agreed to be 0.1 per cent, in order to protect consumer and farmer choice for GM free crops and food.

[5] 9 July 2004, see: www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmenvfru.htm

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