Thanks to FOE in Norwich, the start of the new school year has been marked by a letter to every secondary school head in Norfolk warning about the propaganda activities of the John Innes Centre and its use of the Teacher Scientist Network. Enclosed with FOE's letter is NGIN's JIC report: http://members.tripod.com/~ngin/biospin.htm
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1. Court to decide on herbicide
2. Soil Association AGM in *Norfolk* to debate future of farming
3. Campaigners launch fighting fund in bid to halt GM crop trials
4. Vigils to protest at GM crops - Bracknell
5. Sainsburys protesters in court - please support
6. FOE press release
7. more ugliness out of Ulster - GM elm trees
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1. Court to decide on herbicide
Saturday September 8, 2001
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,548732,00.html
GM multinational Aventis yesterday went to the high court to try to stop the government releasing information on the health effects of one of its herbicides to Friends of the Earth.
Glufosinate ammonium is being used in farm trials of GM crops. The environmentalists asked for the information from what is now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Defra, last year after it changed the rules on use of the herbicide. Previously it was only allowed to be sprayed during the summer, because of fears over the environmental and health impact during winter. Concerns included leaching into groundwater.
However, following a request by Aventis CropScience, a global company based in Lyons in France, Defra allowed glufosinate ammonium to be sprayed during winter. Friends of the Earth asked to see the information Aventis supplied to back up its requests; this January Defra refused to disclose the information. FoE then threatened legal action, and Defra agreed to its release - whereupon Aventis announced it would go to court. A hearing is expected shortly.
A spokesman for Defra said: "Aventis has lodged an application for judicial review. Defra will be defending the matter." Press Association
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2. Future of farming debated at Soil Association AGM in Norfolk
The Soil Association
PRESS RELEASE
TUESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2001
Leading organic organisation, the Soil Association, will be holding its 55th Annual General Meeting at Easton Agricultural College, Easton, Norwich on Saturday 29 September. Following the AGM there will be a public debate on 'The Future of British Agriculture'.
Helen Browning, Chairperson of the Soil Association, says, 'At this critical time for farming we hope that this debate will contribute to the development of policy for the future of food and farming. Organic farming has a strong role to play in helping to reinvigorate rural communities and regenerate our beleaguered countryside. Not everyone thinks this way and the debate will explore all the angles in a lively and stimulating way.'
Speakers include Professor Tim O'Riordan from the University of East Anglia, Oliver Walston, farmer and writer, and Lord Peter Melchett, former director of Greenpeace and Soil Association policy advisor. The afternoon session begins at 2pm and is open to the public.
Further details are available by calling 0117 987 4586.
Soil Association Bristol House, 40-56 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6BY T: 0117 929 0661 F: 0117 925 2504 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Press Office T: 0117 914 2448 F: 0117 925 2504 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (c) Soil Association Updated: 03/09/2001 [Entered September 06, 2001]
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3. Campaigners launch fighting fund in bid to halt GM crop trials
John Ross
Scotsman, 8 September [shortened]
ANTI-GM campaigners in the Highlands will next week launch a fighting fund to take legal action against the Scottish executive over crop trials in the Black Isle. Highlands and Islands GM Concern (HIGMC) claims the executive has breached European directives and ignored safety regulations by extending the trials at a farm near Munlochy. It says the site is not suitable for the trial and the pesticide being used, glufosinate ammonium (GA), may leach into a nearby burn and pollute Munlochy Bay, a site of special scientific interest and a European special protection area.
HIGMC said it wants to raise £25,000 for legal costs in seeking a judicial review of the procedures that led to Ross Finnie, the rural development minister, announcing the new wave of trials this year. Mr Finnie's decision led to protests in the Black Isle where campaigners are still keeping a vigil by the trial field.
Dr Kenny Taylor, HIGMC chairman, said: "We have been exploring the possibilities of legal action for some weeks now and our advice from counsel is that the executive has a case to answer." He said the group is seeking donations from around Scotland to help with legal costs: "It is easy for a company like Aventis which has revenue of around £14 billion, to take major court action [see above], but for a group of concerned individuals it is tricky." The group says no risk assessment of the site has been done, which it claims breaches European legislation on GM releases and conservation sites.
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4. Vigils to protest at GM crops [shortened]
Sep 6 2001
By Alison Hepworth, Bracknell news, UK
BRACKNELL'S GM pressure group GreenWatch has arranged two more vigils and an education day. The group has stepped up its campaign after researchers applied for permission to trial genetically modified sterile oilseed rape plants at Syngenta, Jealott's Hill.
GreenWatch, led by campaigners Doreen Wyatt and Lesley Tooze, will protest on Monday next week between 4.30pm and 7pm at the entrance of the research station then again on Monday, November 12 by candlelight. Both vigils have been scheduled to take place before council meetings at which the group will present their petition urging the authorities to join the Five Year Freeze campaign - an international GM crop protest group.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council is not a member of the campaign but has banned GM food in its schools.
GreenWatch will present the petition to Bracknell Town Council on Thursday, September 20 and to the borough council on Wednesday, November 21.
Syngenta plans to grow a maximum of 1,000 plants between September and December 2001 at the site off Maidenhead Road. The trials are yet to be formerly approved by the Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment (ACRE), an independent scientific committee. Ian Weatherhead, spokesman for Syngenta, said any trial approved by ACRE goes through a full risk assessment before going ahead.
If you want to know more about GM crops GreenWatch is holding an education day on Sunday, October 7 with speakers including research geneticist Dr Michael Antoniou and representatives from Genewatch and Five Year Freeze. Entrance is £8/£4. Bring lunch to share. Phone Lesley on 01344 648343 or Doreen on 01344 452893.
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5. Sainsburys protesters in court - please support
In February this year, Sainsburys supermarket distrubution depots around the country were blockaded for a day to prevent GM-fed meat, poultry and dairy products getting to their stores. About three dozen people were arrested.
Shortly afterwards, J. Sainsbury issued a statement agreeing to phase out GM-fed animal products.
People who took a direct part in the ten-hour blockade at Sainsburys Elstree Distribution Depot will be standing trial at Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court from 24th to 28th September 2001 (in under three weeks time).
They are pleading not guilty to public order and obstruction charges and are being allowed to use expert witnesses, who will include Vivian Howard and Eric Millstone. This will be an occasion for the GM industry to be put on trial.
Court attendance and support very welcome
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6. FOE WELCOMES NEW GM FOOD CODE BUT EU GM LABELLING LAW MUST BE CHANGED
September 7, 2001
FOE.PRESS.RELEASE [shortened]
http://www.foe.co.uk/pubsinfo/infoteam/pressrel/2001/20010907111947.html
Friends of the Earth today welcomed new industry guidelines on how to avoid accidentally introducing GM ingredients into food products. However, FOE called for an EU law on the labelling of products containing GM material to be strengthened, so that consumers are told if their food contains any GMOs.
The new GM avoidance guidelines were announced today by the Food and Drink Federation and the British Retail Consortium. Under European law any product containing more that 1 per cent GM material must be labelled as containing GMOs. FOE says this is inadequate and that products containing any detectable levels of GMO's must be labelled.
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7. GM Trees 'Beat Dutch Elm'
The Belfast Telegraph -- 28 August 2001
University scientists have grown the first genetically modified elm trees in a ground-breaking new initiative. The project has created a new batch of trees resistant to Dutch elm disease. http://www.monsanto.co.uk/news/ukshowlib.phtml?uid=5684