GM food

Greenpeace today applauded the Thai Government's decision to stop the release of all Genetically Modified (GM) crops into the environment and no longer allow any GM field trials in Thailand. With this decision Thailand takes the lead in Asia to protect its environment, biodiversity and farmers from genetic pollution.

Greenpeace today attacked the government for announcing new GM trial sites (1) despite the fact a review into how imported Canadian seed was contaminated with GM has yet to be completed.

Greenpeace wrote to Environment Minister Michael Meacher outlining their concerns last week. In the letter Greenpeace called on the Government to remove the flower heads from all GM crops currently growing to prevent contamination of surrounding farms and to halt new GM trials.

Move sounds death knell for GM imports into the UK

Greenpeace welcomed as 'the beginning of the end for GM food in Britain' the announcements today by Tesco and Asda that they will be going completely non-GM in all meat products and are committed to non-GM dairy products. The move will initially mean ranges of own-brand meat products will only come from farm animals fed a non-GM diet. (1). According to figures from the end of 2000, Tesco and Asda hold 42% of the UK grocery market between them.

Greenpeace's action against the bulk carrier Polydefkis P

Central Soya, a subsidiary of Eridania- Beghin-Say, and one of the largest commodity processors and food producers in the world have confirmed to Greenpeace that they will convert their soybean facility in Bordeaux to exclusively GM-free production.

Greenpeace today welcomed a call by the National Farmers Union of Canada for "a moratorium on the production, importation, distribution, and sale of GM food".

Charlie Kronick, Greenpeace GM Campaigner said, "For the last 4 years, politicians and the NFU in the UK have said that if we fail to adopt GM crops that we'll lose out to our North American rivals. As the Canadian NFU has so clearly identified the environmental and economic drawbacks of GM, their call for a ban on GM foods sets exactly the kind of example that farmers, food producers and politicians should follow in this country".

Greenpeace today launched a new online consumer guide to help shoppers find out whether the foods they are buying really are non-GM. The guide covers a wide range of food, including top brands as well as supermarket own brands. It highlights whether companies have a policy of avoiding derivatives of GM crops, such as GM soya oil, and whether their dairy and meat products come from animals fed on genetically modified crops.

The guide is launched as new evidence raised questions about the advisability of feeding animals with GM crops. Recent studies for the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedstuffs (ACAF) found that, contrary to their expectations, DNA from plants survives feed processing and shows up in animal feed. Scientists on the Committee 'expressed surprise' and called for more studies to follow up the findings.