NOTE: Fantastic new all action campaign to *Stop GM* in the UK, with a great website.
"Genetically Modified plants have never been commercially grown in Britain. Public resistance to their arrival in 1997 got GM ingredients out of supermarkets. Lobbying and direct action stopped GM crops being tested on a large scale here.
But in North America the experiment has been continuing for over a decade. This website will give you fully referenced information about what we can learn from their experience and from those in the global south who have been fighting to resist patents on life.
The current government has declared its intention to be "the most pro GM this country has ever seen". Without action now, commercial growing could begin as soon as 2014. The good news is that with the right resistance, we know we can win. We've done it against all the odds once already."
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/
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Stop GM - Take Action
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/take-action.html#group
What you can do
GM is a big issue and sometimes it can seem like it's hard for individuals to make a difference. But take heart - it was people like you and me who over the past two decades have stopped the full-scale introduction of GM crops into our countryside. Whether it's writing a letter or digging up GM spuds - every action counts. Together we can kick GM out of this country for good!
Talks, workshops and video showings
Get in touch if you would like to invite us to do a talk or workshop on GM for your group, school, community centre, religious group. We'd be happy to come!
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/contact.html
Spread the word
Tell people about what's happening with GM and about things they can do.
Download and distribute our leaflet in your local area, for example in health food stores, community centres, schools and colleges.
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/images/stories/activistleaflet.pdf
Write about GM issues in your local newspaper, zine, blog etc. Feel free to use any of the images and graphics on our resources page.
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/resources.html
Do you have your own website? Link to ours!
http://www.saynotogmo.org.uk/
Set up a local group and take action
Taking action is easier with other people. Organise a meeting for concerned people, make a list of action ideas and get cracking. From leafleting consumers in supermarkets, showing films and organising talks, protesting against GM experiments at your university, getting your workplace, university, village or town to become a GM free zone, promoting locally grown organic food, writing letters to supermarkets and GM companies and taking direct action - anything is possible! Contact us if you would like help with setting up a local group.
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/contact.html
KTC oil campaign
Most supermarkets are now selling KTC and Pride branded GM cooking oil made from GM soya. It's often being used unwittingly by restaurants and supermarkets. It has got a small label on it saying that it contains GM soya, but you have to look for it to spot it. We've launched a campaign everyone can get involved in to ask supermarkets to stop stocking it and to ask caterers to use non-GM oil instead.
We will be putting up more info and campaign materials shortly. Please watch this space. In the meantime you can download:
a sticker
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/images/stories/gmsoya_sticker.pdf
a GM soya oil specific leaflet
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/images/stories/gmsoya_leaflet.pdf
a more general leaflet
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/images/stories/GM_detailed_leafet.pdf
and GM crime scene tape.
http://www.stopgm.org.uk/images/stories/GM%20crime%20scene%20tape.pdf
Boycott GM food
Don't buy food or animal feed with a GM label. Protest and boycott retailers who sell it. There's a list of GM products at GM Freeze
http://www.gmfreeze.org/page.asp?ID=377&iType=1083
Shop at independent whole food shops who are committed to only selling GM free food.
Whenever you buy food in a pub, restaurant, hotel, workplace canteen, school, hospital, or nursing home, exercise your right to know if it contains or is derived from GM ingredients including GM cooking oil. If it does, insist on your legal right to be informed on their menu, request them to stop using GM ingredients; and protest and boycott those who don't cooperate. Businesses usually respond to consumer demand!
Avoid GM-fed animal products. Buy organic milk and animal products - organic standards prohibit the use of GM at any stage of production. Or shop at local farmers' markets where you can question the farmers directly about whether the animal feed they use comes from a certified non-GM source.
Write to your MP
We need people to become penfriends to their MPs and MEPs. Most of the new batch don't know the issues and only reply to correspondence from constituents. The GM Freeze can support you with this, it needn't be much work. Have a look at the GM Freeze website for sample letters and background info.
http://www.gmfreeze.org/
What to ask your MP
*Clear labelling of meat and dairy products from animals fed on GM
Call for accurate labelling of meat and dairy products that come from animals fed on GM feed. On 7 July the European Parliament (7 July) rejected a law that required labelling for meat and dairy products from animals fed on GM feed. 23 UK Tory MEPs voted against the law. Accurate labelling is vital so that people have a choice. It is critical that we close this huge, hidden loophole for GM products in the UK. At the moment there is no way to tell whether food comes from animals fed on GM animal feed or not.
It is now well established science that, for example, GM soya or maize fed to dairy cattle will be detectable in their milk when it is sold to consumers.
*Put an end to GM crop trials in the UK
A major recent UN/World Bank report concluded that there is no convincing evidence to support claims of major benefits from GM crops and that they have little potential to alleviate hunger and poverty.
http://bit.ly/hUo9a9
To email your MP:
To find out your MP's name go to www.writetothem.com and enter your postcode.
On the following page, you can click on the name of your MP (in the third column) and email them by following the instructions on the Write to Them website.
http://www.writetothem.com/
To send a letter to your MP:
'Your MP's name' MP
House of Commons
London
Write to supermarkets and ask them to be GM free
There is currently a big push by the biotech industry to force GM foods onto supermarket shelves. Whether they succeed is largely in the hands of the supermarkets, which have most power over the European food supply. Until now the supermarkets, under pressure from consumers, have banned GM ingredients from their own-brand products but hardly any have so far banned the use of GM animal feed in their meat, dairy or egg production lines. In May 2010 Asda dropped their policy of not allowing GM feed for their own brand chicken - now only their organic meat and dairy is GM free.
You can find lots of useful info on writing to supermarkets including sample letters at GM Freeze
http://www.gmfreeze.org/page.asp?ID=366
Friends of the Earth have also compiled a league table of supermarkets and their stance on GM animal feed, plus sample letters to supermarkets.
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/biodiversity/press_for_change/gm_labelling_index.html
There are also several food products made from GM crops for sale, have a look at GM Freeze's list of GM products here.
http://www.gmfreeze.org/page.asp?ID=377&iType=1083
Write to food retailers, especially Asda and other supermarkets, and to food manufacturers and ask them to:
* maintain a strong stance against GM ingredients,
* stop sourcing GM-fed animal products
* provide you with clear information about which of their products come from animals fed GM feed.
Aldi Stores
Holly Lane, Atherstone
Warwickshire CV9 2SQ
Asda Stores
Customer Relations, Asda House, Southbank,
Great Wilson Street, Leeds LS11 5AD
T: 0500 100 055
E: contact via www.asda.co.uk
Booths Supermarkets
Buying director, 4 Fishergate, Preston PR1 3LJ
T: 01772 251 701
E: contact via www.booths.co.uk/contact-us
Co-op
Customer Relations, The Co-operative Group,
FREEPOST MR 9473, Manchester M4 8BA
T: 0800 317 827
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Iceland Foods
The Chief Executive, Iceland Foods Ltd., Second Ave.,
Deeside Industrial Park, Deeside, Flintshire CH5 2NW
T: 01244 842 842
E: via www.iceland.co.uk/feedback
Marks & Spencer
Customer Service, Chester Business Park,
Wrexham Road, Chester CH4 9GA
T: 0845 609 0200
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact via https://www.marksandspencer.com
Morrison Supermarkets Plc
Customer Services Department,
Parry Lane, Bradford BD4 8TD
T: 01274 356 000
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
The Chairman, 33 Holborn
London EC1N 2HT
T: 0800 636 262
E: contact via www.sainsburys.co.uk
Safeway
See details for Morrisons
Somerfield
See details for the Co-operative.
Tesco Stores
Customer Services, Tesco, PO Box 73,
Baird Avenue, Dundee DD1 9NF
T: 0800 505555
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Waitrose Limited
Customer Services, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 8YA
T: 0800 188 884
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.