[Imc-uk-features] [Imc-cambridge] feature proposal - Gm crops gone

[mish]

Couple of extra links I just found (about EU approval for the potaotes),
so I can find them again ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19798256/
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/foe.07-07-16/

mish

On Fri, 2007-07-20 at 14:33 +0100, mish wrote:
> Two weeks out of date, but I reckon important enough to warrant a UK
> feature (as well as Cambridge, Bio-tech and Ecology).  This has had no
> national coverage I'm aware of. (I have a couple of lame excuses, but no
> one else has beaten me to it ... :-P )
> 
> Title - Britain is GMO free again
> 
> Abstract
> 
> On the night of Friday the 6th of July, a group of activists converged
> on Britain's only GM trial site just outside Cambridge. They scaled the
> security fences and destroyed the crop of genetically modified potatoes.
> [1a | 1b].
> 
> This was the only crop of GM potatoes being grown in the UK, after the
> chemicals giant BASF abandoned plans for a GM potato trial[2] in
> Yorkshire this year.  There have been multiple protests at the
> Cambridge[3] site[4] and at the Yorkshire site[5] (where organic
> potatoes were planted[6]).
> 
> However BASF have permission lasting until 2011[7], so this may not be
> the end of the story ...
> 
> Background : GM back on agenda | sabotage promised | detailed talk
> report | audio interview re victory and protest 1st july
> 
> Campaign links : Mutatoes | Hedon Against GM | Cambridge GM Concern
> 
> [1a] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/07/375353.html
> [1b] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/cambridge/2007/07/375470.html
> [2] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374425.html
> [3] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368056.html
> [4] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/07/375005.html
> [5] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367864.html
> [6] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368541.html
> [7] - http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=9675
> 
> 
> Content
> 
> The trials were the first GM crops to enter British soil in nearly 3
> years, after public opposition forced a U-turn in government and
> corporate plans for patented crops. Although presented as an R&D trial
> into the effectiveness of an anti blight gene, they were widely
> considered to be trial of public opinion.
> 
> DEFRA initially gave approval[8] in December for BASF to undertake
> trials at two sites, one in Cambridgeshire (at the National Institute of
> Agriculture and Botany[9]) and the other initially in Derbyshire - until
> the farmer pulled out.  The Yorkshire site was then chosen, but the
> owner of that site pulled out[10] after being approached about borage
> being grown nearby, with the consequence that the trial would affect
> locally produced honey.
> 
> [8] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/348959.html
> [9] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368176.html
> [10] - https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374425.html
>