Press Releases for 2005

GMs FOR KENT - WHETHER WE WANT THEM OR NOT?

24th March 2005

Public opposition to GM crops on our landscape has been clear in polls for years. But despite our opposition, the European Commission has agreed to authorize the commercial planting of GM crops across the EU, and to demand action against those member countries - Austria, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Greece - which maintain national GM bans. The Commission managed to do this on the same day as the results of four year trials came out, showing that GM crops are a threat to wildlife!(1) Dr Geoff Meaden, Green Party Candidate for Canterbury, comments:

"The other parties in the European Parliament have failed to oppose GM crops, despite obvious public opposition throughout Europe. The unfortunate reality of the latest study is that it adds more weight to the overwhelming scientific and democratic arguments against GM but that it won't be enough to keep GMs out of Kent's countryside. It has never been more urgent than now to demand a GM-free EU, by reminding MPs, food retailers and the European Commission that consumers will reject any GM crops which are given the go-ahead, through non-violent direct action against the crops, by refusing to buy them, and for voting only for candidates who oppose their introduction."

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FURTHER INFORMATION: Dr Geoff Meaden - Green Party Candidate for Canterbury and Senior Lecturer in Geography, on 01227 456806. Contact address as above. Notes:

1. The Guardian, 22nd March 2005. The Four Tests undertaken show these results:

Test 1: Spring-sown oilseed rape, October 2003: Nationwide tests found that biotech oilseed rape sown in the spring could be more harmful to many groups of wildlife than their conventional equivalent. There were fewer butterflies among modified crops, due to there being less weeds. Verdict: GM fails.

Test 2: Sugar beet, October 2003: The GM crop was found to be potentially more harmful to its environment than crops that were unmodified. Bees and butterflies were recorded more frequently around conventional crops, due to greater numbers of weeds. Verdict: GM fails.

Test 3: Maize, October 2003: The production of biotech maize was shown to be kinder to other plants and animals compared to conventional crops. More weeds grew around the biotech maize crops, attracting more butterflies, bees and weed seeds. Verdict: GM passes, but critics brand study as flawed.

Test 4: Winter-sown oilseed rape, March 2005: Tests showed that fields sown with the biotech crop had fewer broad-leaved weeds growing in them. This impacted on the numbers of bees and butterflies, which feed on such weeds. Verdict: GM fails.

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