Archived press release

Wiltshire 'weakest link' in gm-free chain

22 March 2004

Wiltshire County Council has been named the `weakest link' in the South West for dragging its heels over measures to keep the area free from genetically modified (GM) crops. Every other county council in the South West has passed a resolution opposing GM crops and food in their areas, as have neighbouring Oxfordshire and Hampshire. As part of Friends of the Earth's GM free Britain campaign, 50 councils have now passed such resolutions [1].

In the late 1990s Wiltshire County Council adopted policies to ensure that its catering services only supplied GM free foods. Wiltshire Friends of the Earth has asked the local authority to do more to protect the interests of other farmers and food providers by banning GM crops on council land and applying, under new European regulations, to prevent GM crops from being grown across the entire county.

Wiltshire is the fourth largest maize growing area in Britain [2] and has the largest percentage [8.8%] of organically managed land in the South West region [3]. Organic standards do not accept any contamination with GM material whilst all livestock must be reared on a GM-free diet. Moreover, the biotech industry has refused to accept liability for harm done to the environment or to health. Insurance firms have refused to cover farmers against losses from GM contamination which would mean that non-GM farmers could end up footing the bill.

Local environmentalists believe that Wiltshire has a lot to lose from GM plantings and in particular from the recent Government decision to allow GM maize to be grown in Britain. In North America, contamination of conventional crops is rampant where GM crops have been grown for just a few years.

Jean Saunders, spokesperson for Wiltshire Friends of the Earth said:

"Our calls for a GM free Wiltshire have fallen on deaf ears. The Government has failed to appreciate the strong demand by consumers for GM-free food or the need to ensure that farmers are able to meet this demand without the threat of GM contamination. Wiltshire County Council has got to ensure that our local food, farming and environment are protected from the threat of GM contamination and that we don't kiss goodbye to the expanding organic farming market in the county."

Notes

[1] See www.gmfreebritain.com

[2] Final Results of the June 1999 Agricultural and Horticultural Census: England and Wales, Regions and Counties, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

[3] Organics South-West, organically farmed land at May 2003. 26% of all organic farmers are based in the south-west region. Wiltshire manages 8.8% of its farmland organically. The highest in the Region. Gloucestershire is next with 6.6%.

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