farmscale trials

Committee will decide on next round of GM plantings

The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) meets tomorrow morning (10/3/00) at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) to agree the national programme of GM crop trials for 2000.

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".

Tesco, the UK's largest food retailer, has written to its suppliers instructing them not to grow crops on sites used for the testing of genetically modified crops. The letter to suppliers states that "We need to be able to assure our customers that no material from GM crop trials could come in contact with our crops. Therefore any crop grown for Tesco MUST NOT [Tesco's emphasis] be grown in a field that has been used for GM trial crops".

A Nottinghamshire farmer announced last night that he has decided to back out of plans to grow a farm-scale experiment of herbicide resistant oil seed rape, on behalf of agrochemical company AgrEvo, following concern from local residents.

David Rose, of Home Farm in Screveton, backed out of plans to grow winter GM oil seed rape after local people, including farmers and beekeepers, expressed their concern at a public meeting held at Syerston Village Hall last month, that the GM crops would contaminate the environment.

At Norwich Magistrates Court today (20th September 1999), twenty eight Greenpeace volunteers who took action to stop a GM maize crop in Norfolk from irreversibly polluting the environment were committed to trial by jury. The trial will take place at Norwich Crown Court.

The twenty eight volunteers have pleaded 'not guilty' to charges of theft and criminal damage that were brought against them for taking non-violent direct action at Lyng in Norfolk, on July 26th 1999, against a farm-scale 'trial' of GM maize, conducted by agrochemical company AgrEvo.

Greenpeace deeply regrets agrochemical company AgrEvo's announcement today (10th September 1999) that it has planted three farm-scale trials of GM winter oilseed rape despite overwhelming public opposition to the trials.

Greenpeace today described the Government's decision to plant four further GM farm scale test sites in the UK as inappropriate and irresponsible.

London -- Following an appeal against a Magistrate's decision to refuse bail yesterday, a Judge at Norwich Crown Court has granted Lord Peter Melchett bail.

Twenty Eight Greenpeace volunteers, including Lord Peter Melchett, being held in police custody for decontaminating a genetically modified (GM) farm-scale trial are appearing in Norwich Magistrates Court today. Before adjourning for lunch, the Magistrate denied Lord Melchett bail until August 5th, the remaining 27 will be heard after lunch.

The 28 are being charged with criminal damage and theft and will plead not guilty. Greenpeace Campaign Director Sarah Burton explained that this issue is about the defence of public rights. She said, "the public has the right to a safe environment and food-chain free from GM contamination. If the authorities, in this case the Government, fail to uphold those rights it is legitimate for others to do so. We took urgent action to defend those public rights."