[Imc-uk-features] gm victory feature

[mish]

Looks good

mish (from imc cambridge)

On Sun, 2007-06-24 at 15:41 +0100, Ben wrote:
> title : GM Victory. One down, One to Go!
> 
> photo : https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/images/2007/04/368416.jpg  
> (but cropped and the right way round)
> 
> regions: uk, cambridge, leeds & bradford
> 
> related topics:  bio-technology / ecology / health
> 
> It seem there are not often victories to celebrate so it's seem  
> strange when they occur seemingly unnoticed. That's exactly what's  
> happened regarding the news that BASF have pulled out of this years  
> proposed GM potato trial in Yorkshire despite government consent   
> [ http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070514a.htm | http:// 
> www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=9675].
> 
> Back in April there was an action in Hedon near Hull [https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367864.html | https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368519.html | https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368713.html | https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368541.html | https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368382.html |  Audio: https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/media/2007/04//369096.wav | Video: https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/05/369901.html] to demonstrate  
> public opposition the first GM trials in the UK proposed in three  
> years. The Hedon trial had not yet been planted and the protesters  
> planted their own organic potatoes in what they thought was the field  
> earmarked for the GM variety. The aim was to invalidate the  
> experiment before it was planted and while it turned out that they  
> had picked the wrong field [https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/ 
> 2007/04/368698.html] they did successful demonstrate that public  
> opposition to GM crops was as strong and militant as ever.
> 
> The other trial, located in Cambridge [https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368176.html | https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368511.html], had been planted  
> unhindered despite local opposition and protests [https:// 
> publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367550.html]. However,  
> campaigners say that it's not to late to drive home the message that  
> "there is still no future for GM in the UK". A national 'potato  
> picnic' has been announced for Sunday 1st July near the site of the  
> Cambridge trial. [https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/373698].
> 
> Background :
> https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/348987.html
> https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/cambridge/ 
> 2006/12/357519.html
> https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368164.html?c=on#c173674
> 
> Campaign links :
> http://www.mutatoes.org
> http://www.hedonagainstgm.org.uk/
> http://www.cambridgeaction.net/gmconcern
> 
> Read more>>
> 
> Three years ago, the British public won the battle against  
> Genetically Modified (GM) crops being grown in the UK. The British  
> countryside is free of GM crops, and supermarkets and food  
> manufacturers no longer sell products containing GM ingredients.
> 
> These monumental victories were the result of a long struggle between  
> the British public and the giant biotech companies. Resistance took  
> many forms: leafleting supermarkets, attending rallies, lobbying  
> farmers, food manufacturers and suppliers, pulling up crops and  
> blockading Sainsbury’s depots as they continued to sell foods  
> containing GM animal feed. Across the country people successfully  
> resisted the advance of GM crops in the UK.
> 
> Unfortunately, the battle is not quite over…. 3 years on, one company  
> is attempting to recommence GM trials in the UK.
> 
> German based chemical company, BASF, applied for government consent  
> to grow trials of GM potatoes this year at two locations, one in  
> Cambridge and another just outside of Hull, Yorkshire. BASF stated  
> that the trials were designed to test whether potatoes can be  
> genetically modified to be resistant to blight. However, given the  
> historical context, it seems more likely their function is to test if  
> the UK public is still resistant to GM.
> 
> "To maintain the successes achieved over the past decade, it is vital  
> that these two trials are opposed. There is no room for complacency.  
> If we act together now we can keep our fields GM free, but if we  
> allow the trials go ahead unhindered, we help pave the way for  
> commercialization of GM crops across the countryside." - mutatoes.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
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