The German multinational chemical company, BASF, has been granted permission to plant genetically modified potatoes at NIAB in Cambridge from the end of this month.
BASF were forced to pull out of these exact same trails in Ireland last year because they could/would not comply with conditions imposed by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. Clearly the safety rules being set by the British government are sufficiently lax so as not to inconvenience the company. No such crop trails have taken place in this country in the last three years, after massive public pressure forced the government and the companies involved in the technology to back down.
You could have been forgiven for thinking that that argument was over and the anti-GM battle won…but you would be wrong…
If you are concerned about the return of GM experimentation right here on our doorstep, come along to a meeting to discuss how we can resist it. The meeting will take place at 3 Fletchers Terrace (off Mill Road) at 7:30 next Tuesday (13th of March) and is open to everyone.
Map to Fletchers Terrace – http://tinyurl.com/2n67hy
Bellow are some resources that give some interesting background information about GM in general and the proposed trails here in Cambridge in particular.
An article in The Ecolgist, 22 September 2006
http://www.theecologist.org/archive_detail.asp?content_id=612
Whole load of GM info and links
http://www.munlochygmvigil.org.uk/uk_2006.htm#Anchor-GM-49575
Friends of the Earth Press Release on the GM potato issue
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/uk_government_urged_to_rej_30112006.html
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THE CAMPAIGN…