Archived press release

Warwickshire goes gm-free

20 May 2003

Warwickshire 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.

In a full meeting, Warwickshire County Council expressed concern about the safety of GM crops and foods and in addition to its ban on growing GM crops on Council land, voted to keep services free of GM foods and to call on the Secretary of State to provide the county with legal protection as a GM-free area [3]. The motion was passed without opposition.

Calls for GM-free areas are growing. Cornwall, South Gloucestershire and South Hams District Council voted to go GM-free in earlier this year. Devon County Council has stated its opposition to GM trials, and along with Dorset has called on the South West Regional Assembly to take a position on GM. GM-free votes has also taken place in a number of town and district councils.

Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"Friends of the Earth is delighted that Warwickshire County Council has voted to go GM-free. Around Britain there is growing opposition to GM crops and food. This 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 commercially grown in the UK".

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. Consumer opposition remains high with 56 per cent opposing GM foods in the latest poll [4] and A Mori 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

[3] Under European law, councils can request legal protection of their areas from particular GM crops using 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†)

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust