Protesters uproot a crop of GM maize in Norfolk. The government has announced an 800 per cent increase in farm scale trials
Greenpeace today accused the Government of genetic tyranny as the DETR announced an 800% increase in the number of 'farm scale trial' sites for genetically modified crops.
Peter Melchett, Executive Director of Greenpeace in the UK, said, "This is a potential tragedy for the environment. Britain will be bombarded with GM pollen with no regard for wildlife, the public or GM-free farmers. The whole process has been nothing short of genetic tyranny with an almost complete absence of public consultation".
The new sites will be planted with herbicide resistant oil seed rape, sugar beet and fodder maize.
Greenpeace GM Campaigner Sarah North said: "The Government seems hell-bent on spending tax-payers money to promote a polluting technology which no-one wants and which poses real threats to GM-free farmers, organic growers and bee-keepers".
She continued: "Greenpeace believes that these trials are a PR exercise by a government under intense pressure to allow the agro-chemical industry to steam ahead with the development of GM crops in the UK, despite the complete absence of a market".
In response to the announcement Greenpeace will be launching a nation-wide GM-Free Zones Campaign. This will give local authorities, farmers, growers and consumers the opportunity to organise resistance to GM crops. Greenpeace will also be leafleting communities around trial sites, to inform local people of the trial locations and the hazards that trials pose.
Sarah North added: "Around each of the GM trials last year we witnessed strong local campaigns to oppose GM pollution. We can expect to see that replicated on a massive scale as trials spread across the country".
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Contact:
Greenpeace press office on: 020 7865 8255
