Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Oct 98/Nov 98

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

The Frankenstein Food

Other European countries including France and Austria have halted commercial harvesting of GM crops while they gather more evidence of their environmental effects.

Our government has not gone so far as France and Austria. However, it has announced it is setting up an 'influential new watchdog' to stem mounting concern by consumers and environmental groups. The regulatory body will look at the ethics of genetic engineering as well as the practical effects of GM crops and imported foods on human health and the environment.

Tony Juniper, FOE head office, stated in a recent press release: "We certainly need a more independent form to assess the environmental implications of genetically modified food. The debate is being led by sympathetic scientists. We need a body that reflects the wide church of opinion".

An independent monitoring and regulatory body is certainly a good start. However, history has proven that tampering with nature frequently leads to problems, unknown at the time, occurring many years down the line e.g. BSE, DDT, nuclear power, Thalidomide etc..

Cross-gene manipulation is a new technology. Scientists do not fully understand it. No-one can predict its results. However, it is difficult to avoid as an estimated 60% of processed foods contain unlabelled genetically engineered Soya including bread, baked goods, cakes, biscuits, soups etc.

If you do not wish to eat genetically modified food FOE suggests you write to your supermarket and/or local shops informing them you do not want them to sell it. Alternatively, if you would like to know more about the issues and would like FOE to talk to your group, please contact the Warehouse or phone Paul Webb direct (Tel No 01562 710236)

Paul Webb

GMO Stop Press:

Channel Four News reported 23/09/98 that the genetically modified food industry have entered into talks that may result in a five year voluntary delay in commercial production of GMO crops in the UK. Given the level of public concern on this issue this is no surprise, particularly if you consider that a failure to do so by the producers may lead to government intervention and a public moratorium that would inevitably come out against GMO's.

Cynical? Yes- on their part. A voluntary ban is an empty PR gesture. Realistic commercial crops in the UK are at least two years away; a delay of another couple of years is no great hardship for global players like Monsanto who can continue to test their Frankenstein foods by exploiting more lax agriculture legislation in eastern European countries like Georgia. Tests can continue with less intervention and less monitoring by groups like FOE who are genuinely concerned on the long term environmental (not to mention health) impacts of these 'Frankenstein foods'.

Meanwhile our foodstuffs already contain genetically modified products (e.g. modified Soya proteins grown in the USA) and consumers have no way of identifying their presence. UK peaceful protestors have been subjected to an unprecedented legal injunction by Monsanto. Campaign group GenetiX Spearhead who have been publicising the spread of GMO's and actions against them have been particularly hit. Their press officer, Andrew Wood, faces personal liability for the direct actions (e.g. GMO crop destruction) of people with whom he has no connection, simply for providing information liable to incite such actions.

FIGHT THIS MADNESS.

Richard Partridge