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1. Minister to tackle GM firm over trials
2. VILLAGE STANDS GUARD AS GM TRIAL IS PLANTED
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1. Minister to tackle GM firm over trials
3 May 2001
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/wales/newsid_1311000/1311113.stm

UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher has pledged to take a GM company to task over claims that it did not carry out proper consultation with organic farmers in west Wales over test crops.  Mr Meacher said on Thursday he would be contacting seed producers Aventis on behalf of farmers and other villagers in Mathry, Pembrokeshire.  

They claimed they were kept in the dark about proposed trials of genetically modified maize at two sites.   

Organic farmers and beekeepers, backed by Pembrokeshire MP Jackie Lawrence, took their fight to London on Thursday after being told that the Welsh Assembly had no power to halt the trials.  

They called for the meeting to warn him of the damage they claim could be caused to neighbouring organic farms if the planting goes ahead.  

After the meeting Ms Lawrence said the minister had been very concerned to hear of the lack of consultation.  

A spokesperson for Mr Meacher's department confirmed that he would have expected a company proposing to conduct GM trials to consult with local people at least 10 days before planting was due to take place.  

He was due to write to Aventis after Thursday's meeting.

Assembly fight

He said that if it appeared the company had not followed procedure, he would demand they carried out a full consultation exercise with interested parties.  

Planting of GM maize expected to start soon at three trial sites in Wales - two in Pembrokeshire, and at one at Sealand in Flintshire, north Wales.  

The assembly has fought for six months to try to "go it alone" and prevent the crops from being grown at all in Wales.  

Scientific studies carried out on behalf of the assembly failed to give Welsh Agriculture Minister Carwyn Jones the power to ban the GM crops.  

Nor can he prevent individual farmers from growing them.
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2. VILLAGE STANDS GUARD AS GM TRIAL IS PLANTED
PRESS RELEASE
3rd May 01
The Gaia Trust

Residents of the small country village of Low Burnham, Lincs are preparing to  stand guard at 6.30 tomorrow morning (Friday)  in preperation of the planting  of a controversial GM crop trial.  

Agricultural contractors, Adrian and Nigel Durdy, have said that they will  proceed with the planting of the trial regardless of  massive opposition from  local residents, neighbouring farmers, beekeepers, town and parish councils,  district councillors and MPs and despite the fact that Michael Meacher has  said that this trial may have been inappropriately sited and should be  reviewed.  

Residents, angry and disappointed that the trial is going ahead before the promised review has taken place, plan to be at the site just after dawn  armed with notebooks, cameras and videos to monitor the whole proceedure -  and to collect and analyse any seed they find outside the trial field .  

 They will also be watching carefully to ensure that any machinery used is thoroughly cleaned before leaving the field - and that the farmers follow the  procedure as advised by Paul Rylott of Aventis at a public meeting last week.   This was that the farmers should use a vacuum cleaner to ensure all seed is removed from machinery and that a dustpan and brush should then be used to  clean the more difficult areas.  

Once the planting is over the residents plan to monitor the site over the coming weeks - with regular testing of any oilseed rape which grows outside  of the field and ensuring that all machinery used is cleaned in the  prescribed way.  In the meantime they will continue to demand the promised  review and for the trial crop to be destroyed.

Contact - Linda Patel 01302 326644 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  -Jean Turner 01427  872509 -Ian Cawsey MP 01405 767744 Cllr Don Stewart 01754 762578 Clive  Goodwin 01427 872370  Kate O'Connell - (gaia trust) tel/fax 01507 490112 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.