From: "Affinity" To: Cc: "envirolink mail" Subject: Latest update (19) in TXT format for emailing etc Date: Sunday, September 02, 2001 06:00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Autumn 2001 G E N E T I X U P D A T E number 19 INFORMATION FOR ACTION Newsletter of the genetic engineering network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SEEDY BUSINESS It started almost by accident, when three women from Highlands & Islands GM Concern went to visit a site set for a farm scale trial of winter oilseed rape in Munlochy, Scotland: "As we were standing looking at the (huge!) field a tractor appeared with drilling equipment. We didn't want to believe that the GM oilseed rape was being planted in front of our very eyes! The driver tried unsuccessfully to convince them that he was only fertilising. Someone phoned the media and soon the press started arriving, along with police, and then more local protesters. "At about 6pm we could stand there no longer and went out on to the field in front of the tractor. There must have been about 12 of us including a mum and her kid. The tractor stopped and after many hours of us standing in front of it, chatting to the police and the media, the driver announced that he was going home for the night." Much later next morning the police called all the protesters together and announced that sowing would be starting again immediately. "Within minutes the tractor appeared on the horizon. Nancy and Rhona walked in to the field and sat in the tractor's path. They were arrested and removed from the field. The driver carried on sowing. At 4:45pm myself, Pete and Gavin decided enough was enough and we sat in the tractor's path." By late afternoon about fifty protesters had gathered, their numbers matched by police who set up a control centre at the field. The protesters responded with an information caravan. Thirteen people were arrested for breach of the peace, most of them over 35 and had never done direct action before. The local community is organising a benefit gig to try and cover legal expenses. For several days a presence was maintained at the field but despite repeated waves of obstruction the GM oilseed was eventually sown. www.scottishgenetixaction.org Similar pre-planting tactics were used at an impromptu event in Dorset in May. Eight or so people blocked gates, nobody was arrested and planting was delayed for a day. While these actions only succeeded in delaying sowing, with all winter to plan for next spring, pre- planting tactics may yet prove to be highly effective. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sow where n next? Farm-scale trials continue with thirty GM oilseed rape sites proposed in England and Scotland. Depending on the weather, and pre-emptive campaigning, they'll be in the ground by mid September. County Parish Grid Ref' Aberdeenshire Daviot NJ 768 279 Aberdeenshire Daviot NJ 744 300 Aberdeenshire Rothienorman NJ 753 343 Cheshire Lymm SJ 715 870 Dorset Bincombe SY 677 845 Dorset Bincombe SY 671 862 Durham Oakenshaw NZ 198 371 Durham Wycliffe with Thorpe NZ 132 134 Durham Hutton Magna NZ 133 108 Gloucestershire Buckland SP 056 354 Gloucestershire Dumbleton SP 038 369 Herefordshire Felton SO 567 483 Hertfordshire Great Gaddesden TL 049 101 Kent Biddenden TQ 878 399 Lincolnshire Thorganby TF 198 985 Lincolnshire Ludford TF 211 890 Lincolnshire Thorganby TF 208 975 Lincolnshire North Kelsey TA 020 005 Lincolnshire Spital in the Street SK 968 913 Norfolk Cuckney SK 586 706 Norfolk Colkirk TF 940 250 Norfolk Banham TM 073 885 Nottinghamshire Winfarthing TM 099 872 Oxfordshire Hinton Waldrist SU 365 980 Ross-shire Munlochy NH 662 563 Shropshire Hinstock SJ 685 259 Shropshire Hordley SJ 398 275 Warwickshire Long Marston SP 151 489 Yorkshire East Riding of Howden SE 754 309 Yorkshire East Riding of Nafferton TA 015 622 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Top of the Crop Stops 2000-2001 Aventis and Syngenta seem to be have been experiencing some difficulty with their GM test sites - they keep disappearing. It's been a croptastic year with over thirty trials being damaged or destroyed. A fair few crops failed to grow sufficiently for the tests to be valid and some trials were withdrawn after public pressure. This year's only experimental GM barley crop, being grown at the John Ines Centre, was destroyed. But chart toppers are the National Seed List Trials* for winter oilseed rape which were all invalidated! Anyway, put a smile on your face, here's the full chart - read and enjoy!! Winter Oilseed Rape National Seed List Trials* Girton, Cambridgeshire TL 434 622 100% destroyed Histon, Cambridgeshire TL 435 623 100% destroyed Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire TL 229 772 100% destroyed Melbourn, Cambridgeshire TL 392 428 100% destroyed Piccots End, Hertfordshire TL 054 104 100% destroyed Albury, Hertfordhire TL 423 234 100% destroyed Stanton, Gloucestershire SP 060 351 100% destroyed Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire SK 970 581 80% destroyed Brigsley, Lincolnshire TA 261 022 Crop failed Morley, Norfolk TM 051 997 Crop failed Bramham, West Yorkshire SE 442 412 Crop failed (all of this years winter oilseed rape national seed list trials 'failed' Rahh!.) Winter Oilseed Rape Farm Scale Trials** Munlochy, Highland County NH 662 563 Damaged with a giant X East Newton, North Yorkshire TA 265 378 Not planted Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire SK 589 706 Terminated by Farmer Harbury, Warwickshire SP 378 597 Damaged Winter Oilseed Rape Research and Development Trials*** Piccots End, Hertfordshire TL 052 105 70% destroyed Great Saling, Essex TL 694 247 Not planted / found Spring Oilseed Rape Farm Scale Trials** Hutton Magna, Durham NZ 136 107 30% destroyed Low Burnham, Lincolnshire SE 778 018 Damaged Winterbourne Monkton, Dorset SY 672 866 60% destroyed East Hoathley, East Sussex TQ 525 168 Farmer withdrew Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire SP 230 519 Crop failed Maize Farm Scale Trials** Bramham, West Yorkshire SE 442 412 Damaged Preston Wynne, Herefordshire SO 566 478 60% destroyed Wolston, Warwickshire SP 472 759 Trial withdrawn Flintshire, Sealand SJ 362 678 60% destroyed Mathry, Pembrokeshire SM 868 307 Farmer withdrawn Mathry, Pembrokeshire SM 871 309 Farmer withdrawn Wivenhoe, Essex TM 051 221 10% destroyed Alresford, Essex TM 056 221 95% destroyed Hinton Waldhurst, Oxfordshire SU 377 977 55% destroyed Shinfield, Berkshire SU 748 692 20% destroyed Upwey, Dorset SY 675 847 80% destroyed Upwey, Dorset SY 653 849 Damaged - crop art Upwey, Dorset SY 681 836 15% destroyed Broadwey, Dorset SY 680 822 70% destroyed Potato Research and Development Trials*** Jealott's Hill, Berkshire SU 874 738 70% destroyed Thornhaugh, Cambridgeshire TL 075 003 Under review Cambridge, Cambridgeshire TL 434 603 Under review Barley Research and Development Trial*** Colney, Norfolk TG 179 076 100% destroyed Wot's wot * National Seed List trials (NSL) are carried out by NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany) for Aventis. They are carried out on all crops to establish whether the crop can be included on the National Seed List, and then sold throughout Europe. They are a necessary step for the commercialisation of GM crops. This year not one of the English NSL trials survived! ** Research and Development trials (R+D) are run entirely by industry and are the next stage from indoor testing, before NSL trials. They aim to show that the crop will be commercially viable. *** Farm Scale Trials (FSTs) are claimed to assess the impact of GM crops on agriculture, the environment and wildlife. Half of the crop is GM, the other half conventional crop. The fields can be up to 15 hectares in size but are usually smaller. The trials are run by the government and SCIMAC (Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops) -an industry body. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Summer Days Despite the foot and mouth restrictions, which led to the cancellation of a mass rally in Harbury, Warwickshire, there have been more rallies at test sites this summer than ever before. On 30th June, two hundred people joined a lively carnival of protest against two farm scale trials of maize in Wivenhoe, Essex. The costumed procession made its way through the town to meet at the farm for a picnic. They tried to place biohazard signs around the edge of the trial but were prevented by police. Seven people were arrested, three charged with criminal damage. On 14th July, around one hundred and fifty people gathered for a day of protests against the only trial site in Wales, a farm scale trial in Flintshire. The farmer was handed a petition and people began to pull up the maize. About 10% was destroyed, and six people were arrested. On 19th August not one, not two, but three rallies took place in England, Scotland and Wales. In Dorset, thirty or so locals went for a stroll to highlight their farm scale trial of winter oilseed rape. Three camera crews and assorted media types reported the event. At the Flintshire site in Wales, protesters braved the weather and strong police presence (56 police for 15 protesters!) to have an organic picnic at the site. In Scotland 300 people gathered in Munlochy in Rosshire to oppose the farm scale trial of winter oilseed rape there. Following a march through the town with a tractor everyone enjoyed the sunshine with a picnic, music and speakers from around the country. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ello Ello "This feels really good", exclaimed retired shopkepper Jacques Lachaud while pulling up a 80 sq/m field of GM maize in southwest France. It took him and 150 others from the radical farmers union Confederation Paysanne, the anti-globalisation collective Attac and the environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth, just four minutes to remove the crop. Police looked on but did not intervene. A few days before, a 800 sq/m field of Monsanto's maize was decontaminated in a similar fashion. There have been at least six such actions since late June when the farm ministry was forced to publish the locations of around 100 test sites in France. In July, Jose Bove, McDonald's trashing founder of the french peasants union Confederation Paysanne, called for 'civil disobedience' unless the government ordered the destruction of all GM test crops by August 12th. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evening All Mashed Potato On May 25th, Campaigners in Berkshire joined together to protest against Syngenta's planting of GM potatoes at their research plant in Jealott's Hill. 75% of one of the tests has since been destroyed. Nether Again In July, two fields of Monsanto's sugarbeet and a Syngenta potato crop were trashed in the Netherlands. Other trials were dropped due to irregularities in the approval process and a change in government policy on antibiotic resistant marker genes. There are now only a few sites left, the lowest number there for ten years. Belgium Fun (Bad Bun Pun) We don't hear much about the current state of affairs in Belgium but we did get a report that over a weekend in late May a farm scale trial of Aventis GM winter oilseed rape was decontamination in the district of Velzeke. Increased security useless Following a wave of actions against GM trials this year, reports came in of increased security measures at previously damaged test sites. At Wivenhoe and Arlesford in Essex, it was reported that infra-red sensors and video cameras were hidden in bird boxes placed near the two maize trials. As well as security guards, dogs and car patrols there were regular police checks and a police helicopter used during the night, Despite these measures, 95% of the Arlesford trial has been damaged by protesters, and 10% at Wivenhoe. At Jealotts Hill, Berkshire, people have reported high security surrounding the trials of Novartis GM potatoes. Again, the measures failed to prevent 75% of one of the trials being destroyed. As one protester commented: "Police claim to lack resources, but when they want to protect a mutant crop that no one wants there's suddenly a bottomless pit of cash." Mutants to go, sir? On 6th July, Rowan Tilly and Penny Hanson delivered GM Oilseed Rape to the Environment Minister at the DETR. They had removed the crops from the farm scale trial at Low Burnham, Lincolnshire, on the 3rd of July. On 23rd July, the government received even more unexpected deliveries when five campaigners left 50 large bags of GM maize plants at DEFRA. The load was part of the 50% of GM maize destroyed the previous night at the farm scale trial in Preston Wynne, Herefordshire. Hey Mickey! Cheeky chappies took the mickey out of the validity of farmscale trials by enscribing an 80ft Disneyesque crop 'circle' in a field of GM maize near Upwey in Dorest. Along with the ironic iconic rodent's face was the single word 'SCIENCE?' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ G e n e W a r s - T h e G l o b a l Pi c t u r e THE FARCE IS WITH US Despite the efforts of the biotech industry and their government's to silence the voices of the South, they're not getting it all their own way. Just look at Monsanto CEO Hendrik Verfaillie's three wishes for 2001: Approval of GM cotton in India, of GM soya in Brazil and of GM Maize in Europe - so far all have failed. Sorry Hendrik. Throughout The 'ThirD World' Resistance Is Fertile INDIA stays GM-free for another year because farmers defeated Monsanto's bid to get GM cotton approved by exposing inadequate testing. Their main concern, though, is the social impact of these crops. The UK-backed Vision 2020 development plan for the State of Andhra Pradesh involves the introduction of large-scale industrial agriculture and GM cotton and the resultant displacement of 20 million smallholders. An alliance of 120 grassroots groups in the state is fighting the plan. In BRAZIL and INDIA Citizen's Juries of peasant farmers heard two days of evidence from Monsanto and local anti-GM groups then voted unanimously against GM crops. In INDONESIA 72 NGOs are prosecuting their government and Monsanto for approving GM cotton without consulting farmers or publishing safety data. SRI LANKA banned all GM food imports, THAILAND introduced compulsory GM labelling and the PHILIPPINES will soon back its labelling laws with a mandatory 6-12 year prison sentence for contraveners (announced days before it was revealed that Novartis' Gerber babyfood there contains 34- 66% unlabelled GM soya). The jobs of 60 million coffee-pickers in over 50 Southern nations may soon be threatened by GM controlled-ripening coffee, so ActionAid have launched a campaign to ban it. In the USA 200 branches of Starbucks were picketed by the Organic Consumers Association to demand that they promise never to serve GM coffee. The full extent of 'Third World' opposition was revealed in a Genetic Food Alert petition calling on the Fair Trade movement to boycott GM crops - it was signed by 291 "Third World", farmers and welfare groups from 54 nations. THE EMPiRE STRiKES BACk US anger at Sri Lanka's GM ban and Thailand's labelling proposals led them to threaten to report both nations to the WTO in order to impose sanctions. There is nothing more frightening to America than the threat of a good example - what will US citizens, (93% of whom want GM labels) think when they become the only nation to suppress this information? The real purpose of these threats was to show the EU that its new improved labelling laws could start a trade war. The US Dept' of Agriculture licensed use of its widely-condemned Terminator technology (designed to stop seed-saving) to its partner Delta & Pine Land in August. Expect Terminator cotton soon. Both houses of the INDIAN parliament were suspended amid fury that Biopirates RiceTec Inc of Austin, Texas, had succeeded in patenting three lines of Basmati rice. In BRAZIL, despite massive grassroots opposition and a valuable export market in non-GM soya, Monsanto and the USA have predictably bullied the Brazilian Agriculture Minister into supporting its crops - they threatened prosecution via the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). His approval of GM soya was, however, deemed illegal by the Brazilian courts. Here in the UK Development Minister, Clare Short, once an outspoken critic of multinational exploitation of the Third World, is now revealing herself as a true corporate lackey. Not content with being a trustee of the World Bank, she is marketing globalisation, GM crops, the WTO and big business as the answer to hunger and inequality. Her Department for International Development (DfID) has been exposed both for backing GM agriculture and the highly unpopular Vision 2020 development project in India and for spending millions on secret GM fish trials. RETURN OF THE 'FEED THE WORLD' MYTHS A more disturbing development is the ongoing US/WTO/World Bank take- over of all intergovernmental organisations. Institutions that once spoke up for the dispossessed are, like Clare Short, starting to mouth the propaganda of the corporations. Most depressing for "Third World" nations has been the take-over of the UN's Development Programme (UNDP) by ex-World Bank executive, Mark Malloch Brown. His first act was to commission its annual 'Human Development Report'. Previous reports have contained clear analysis of the true causes of inequality, but this year it promotes the tired myth that GM crops are the solution for Third World poverty and that western environmentalists are standing in the way of their progress. Farmers groups throughout these nations are furious that their views are being misrepresented or ignored - already 14 statements condemning the report have been issued by development charities and farmer's groups across Asia. The UNDP then issued an Open Letter defending the report, in which predictably they named only Greenpeace as a critic. Conveniently the report came out days before the OECD meeting on GM food and crops in BANGKOK, chaired by Lord Selbourne (chair of the British Chemicals Stakeholder Forum), and delegates predictably endorsed it. Asian NGOs boycotted the conference and formed a "People's Network Against GMOs" so the UK failed to find any citizens groups willing to take part. A few weeks later President Bush flew into the G8 SUMMIT in GENOA to successfully persuade the richest nations to agree that biotechnology and globalisation were the only hope for the poor. They condemned western critics and supported the brutal suppression of 200,000 demonstrators - but dared not admit that the poorest nations, simultaneously meeting in Zanzibar, had reached very different conclusions. [50 years ago, of course, the G8 nations were telling us that the South supported colonialism]. All this deception is probably preparation for the meetings of the next World Food Summit and the WTO in November. Italy's President Berlusconi, embarrassed by the Genoa police, is trying to move the World Food Summit from Rome to Nairobi, whilst the WTO prepares to hide out in the Arabian desert. Meanwhile a vast alliance of food and justice groups is preparing a counter-summit in Rome. THE REBEL ALLIANCE In the PHILIPPINES, 29th August, 800 farmers, church people, students and other members of civil society stormed one of Monsanto's experimental fields in South Cotabato, Mindanao. Around 100 indigenous Lumads also took part in the protest action. The operation took about ten minutes leaving police helpless. "Faster! Faster!" were the shouts as the protesters hurriedly uproot ed the GM corn in the 1,700-sq/m experimental field of Bt-corn. In 1999, Monsanto started open-field testing Bt-Corn at around 30 sites having ignored protests from many sectors in the country and a series of City Council resolutions. The action in August was the first of its kind in the country's history of GM protest. In Chiapas the Zapatistas declared war on Bio-Piracy. In San Diego in June a counter-conference was held whilst the Biotechnology Industry Organisation convention opened its doors to 13,000 executives, lawyers, venture capitalists, and corporate scientists working to further their agenda of a patented and commodified future. The Biodevastation/ Biojustice conference culminated in actions and a rally of over 1,000 people. For more info see www.biodev.org Despite valiant attempts last year to inject some common sense into the 'New Zealand Royal Commission of Inquiry into Genetic Modification' the report published in July concluded that New Zealand should press ahead with commercialisation of GM crops and animals. Although the report itself is just what the industry wanted, it's worth looking at some of the powerful evidence submitted by critics of GM online at www.gmcommission.govt.nz/inquiry/appendix_a_revised.html#shed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Useful Contacts - Autumn 2001 LOCAL GROUPS ABERYSTWYTH ACTION AGAINST GMOs ecollective@hotmail.com AYLESBURY SHOPPERS CONCERNED ABOUT FOOD (SCOF) 01296 484535 BERKSHIRE, GREEN WATCH Doreen Wyatt on 01344 452893 or 07798702042, Lesley Tooze on 01344 648343 BRIGHTON GENETIX RESISTANCE 01273 628441 rowantilly@gn.apc.org BRISTOL GE GROUP Kebel 0117 939 9469 FoE 0117 942 129 CARMARTHEN GENE CARE 01267 234729 CAMBRIDGE CONCERNS 01223 562364 jc@home.cam.net.uk CAMBRIDGE SNOWBALL 01223 331629 luzbug@hotmail.com CARDIFF 02920 394745 geoffoak2000@yahoo.co.uk CASTLE CARY Somerset 01749 860689 louise@ukonline.co.uk. CHINNOR GM CAMPAIGN Oxfordshire 01844 353748 mwestby@swinternet.co.uk COLCHESTER GM CAMPAIGN Andy 07931 638938 Ken & Edie 01206 826321 Lreyno@essex.ac.uk CORNWALL (GAFF) 01326 250056 gaffal@gaff73.freeserve.co.uk (S.E.) CORNWALL REAL FOOD CAMPAIGN 01579 340215 COVENTRY GE GROUP 02476 663031 covpeace@gn.apc.org DEVIZES & MARLBOROUGH FoE 01672 513950 DORSET GENETICS GROUPS 01305 783621(FoE Helen) helen.el@talk21.com 01823 286311(Tushi) GLASTONBURY GE GROUP 01458 834787 HARTLAND (N. DEVON) 01237 441780 hescott2000@ netscapeonline.co.uk HEMEL HEMPSTEAD she-d@hotmail.com HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS GM CONCERNS 0845 458 9214 coopbill@cooptel.net HOLSWORTHY 01409 254450 cft-dlee@supanet.com KINGSBRIDGE ACTION on GE 01548 856286 jessica@lobby-globalnet.co.uk N. LANCASHIRE REAL FOOD GROUP 01524 811066 cherith@which.net LEEDS EF! 0113 262 9365 noellynch@lineone.net LINCOLNSHIRE AGAINST GE 01507 490112 gaiatrust@x-stream.co.uk LISKARD REAL FOOD CAMPAIGN 01579 340215 LIVERPOOL GE GROUP 0151 722 7561 MANCHESTER AGAINST G.E (M.A.G.E.)/EF! 0161 226 6814 mage@nematode.freeserve.co.uk NEWCASTLE 0930 741052 tapp@newcastle54.freeserve.co.uk NORFOLK GENETIC INFO NETWORK 01603 624021 (or 625188) 01328 738390 ngin@icsenglish. com www.members.tripod.com/~ngin/ NORTHAMPTON GE GROUP 01604 647916 john@nene-gen.freeserve.co.uk NOTTINGHAM 0845 4589595 info@veggies.org.uk OXFORD GENETICS ACTION & OXY-GENE holly@gn.apc.org 07796 430141 PLYMOUTH GENETICS GROUP 01752 892676 plymgm@hotmail.com RAMSGATE 07775 560309 READING GE GROUP 0118 954 6430 RYEDALE AGAINST GMOs (RAGMO) 01653 696748 josiedowns@care4free.com SCARBOROUGH AGAINST GE 01723 370588 or 375533 sage@envoy.dircon.co.uk SCOTTISH GENETIX ACTION 0141 334 4355 scottishgenetix@ziplip.com www.scottishgenetixaction.org Aberdeenshire 01224 622389 Fife & Central 01333 310902 SHEFFIELD AGAINST GE 0114 273 1978 gaz_guzzler@yahoo.com SHREWSBURY FOOD ACTION (Shropshire) paola@cwcom.net SOMERSET AGAINST GE 01749 813787 SOUTHPORT PEOPLE AGAINST GE 01704 564524 Lolanlen@hotmail.com STROUD CAMPAIGN FOR SAFE FOOD 01453 765789 richard.macbeth@ruskin- mill.org.uk SWINDON CAM' AGAINST GMOs 01793 790438 sbirley@gn.apc.org S. YORKSHIRE GEN 01226 764279 pp3office@aol.com TAUNTON (FoE) 01823 286311 mary@tushita.u-net.com TAVISTOCK 01822 614430 TOTNES GENETICS GROUP (TOGG) 01803 840098 info@togg.org.uk www.togg.org.uk GE FREE WALES 02920 229577 cymru@foe.co.uk WELLINGTON 01823 664776 doohlally@yahoo.co.uk WEST WALES 01437 563429 JM.Bruce@virgin.net WHITBY (WAGE) 01947 606189 griffins_of_whitby@msn.com WORTHING GENETIX CAMPAIGN West Sussex genetix@worthing.ecoaction. org NATIONAL GROUPS ACTION AID 0207 561 7611 zelford@actionaid.org.uk www.actionaid.org ACTION ON INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE agricultureaction@yahoo.com BU AGAINST VIVESECTION 0207 700 4888 info@buav.org COMPASSION IN WORLD FARMING 01730 264208 compassion@ciwf.co.uk CORPORATE WATCH 01865 791391 mail@corporatewatch.org www..gm- info.org.uk EARTHFIRST! ACTION UPDATE PO Box 487 Norwich NR2 3AL 01603 219811 efactionupdate@bigfoot.com FIVE-YEAR FREEZE 0207 837 0642 enquiry@fiveyearfreeze.org www.fiveyearfreeze.org FRIENDS OF THE EARTH 0207 490 1555info@foe.co.uk www.foe.co.uk THE GAIA FOUNDATION 0207 435 5000 gaia@gaianet.org GE-FREE FORESTRY (GEFF) geffcoalition@hotmail.com Also contact WEN GENEWATCH UK 01298 871898 mail@genewatch.org GENETIC CONCERN 00 3531 4760360 GENETICS FORUM 0207 837 9229 geneticsforum@gn.apc.org GENETIX FOOD ALERT 01803 868523 gfa@rjvint.globalnet.co.uk www.geneticfoodalert.org.uk GENETIX SNOWBALL 01273 628441 genetixsnowball@onet.co.uk www.gn.apc.org/ pmhp/gs GMO CAMPAIGN 01865 513224 GM PRISONER SUPPORT 0161 226 6814 GREENPEACE UK LTD. 0207 865 8100 info@uk.greenpeace.org www.greenpeace.org.uk GROWING AWARENESS 00 3532 820232 growing.awareness@indigo.ie HENRY DOUBLEDAY RESEARCH ASSOC. 01203 303517 rog@hdra.org.uk www.hdra.org.uk HUMAN GENETICS ALERT 0207 704 6100 INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGY AND CULTURE 01803 868650 isecuk@gn.apc.org NATIONWIDE FOOD SURVEY www.wkweb4.cableinet.co.uk/ pbrown/index.htm NATURAL LAW PARTY 01962 852122 nlpwessex@bigfoot.com NORTHERN ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY 0208 672 3454 iza@cpa-iza.u- net.com SCOTTISH CONSUMERS' ASSOCIATION FOR NATURAL FOOD 0141 334 4886 georgestidolph@btinternet.com SOIL ASSOCIATION 0117 987 4562 action@soilassociation.org www.soilassociation.org TROLLEY THEATRE trolleytheatre@bigfoot.com www.trolleytheatre.org UNCAGED (INCL. XENO-TRANSPLANTATION CONCERN) 0114 272 2220 uncaged.anti-viv @ dial.pipex.com www.uncaged.co.uk WOMEN'S ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK 0207 481 9004. www.gn.apc.org/wen/ Contact ToGG to correct or add details. If there isn't a group listed in your area, Earth First!, FOE or Greenpeace may have a local group working on GE. If they don't, set one up yourself. GEN, ToGG or your nearest local contact can give you tips and support. Stalls are a great way of reaching people. ToGG can send you info and flyers from a range of organisations. Together, these groups make up the Genetic Engineering Network (GEN) 1a Waterlow Road, London, N19 5NJ 0207 272 1586 gen@gn.apc.org www.geneticsaction.org.uk Contacts for help establishing new groups BIRMINGHAM 0121 632 6909 - CALSTOCK kim@hettie.clara.net - CLEVELAND fifrobinson@netscapeonline.co.uk - CUMBRIA Nentshead 01434 382115 - DONCASTER 07932 817156 - DORSET Weymouth 01305 783621 helen@elleries.freeserve.co.uk - IPSWICH/SUFFOLK AREA Ipswich 01473 828351, 01449 774566 - KENT Ramsgate 07775 560309 puff_in@yahoo.co.uk - LANCASTER 12 New Street, Halton, Lancaster, LA2 6PR - SCOTLAND Westerton, Mains of Balfour, By Fettercairn, Kincardenshire AB30 1DT - SURREY East Horsley 01483 282868 info@body-and-soul.demon.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diary dates Mon 10th Sept: Vigil against GM potatoes at Jealotts Hill. Contact Berkshire Green Watch. Tues 11th Sept: Biofinance Summit, Dorchester Hotel, London Thur 13th Sept: Public Debate, GM in Northern Ireland. 7-9pm, Queen's University, Belfast. Thurs 20th Sept: TRIPs meeting, Geneva. Global day of action against the patenting of life. For more information, contact GEN Mon 8th Oct: Education day, Jealott's Hill, re Syngenta and GM potatoes. Speakers from five year freeze, genewatch, HDRA etc. 22nd - 24th Oct: Genomex 2001 High level genomic's strategy event, Royal Garden Hotel, London. www.pharma-rd.net/genomex 2001 10th Nov: West Country Activist Gathering. Contact Kebel, Bristol. Mon 12th Nov: Candlelit vigil and handing in of petition at Jealott's Hill, Berkshire. 4,30-7pm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Resource List There are loads of brilliantly useful resources available, whether you want to learn more about a specific topic, need materials for a stall, or need practical tips for an action that you're organising. Below are just a select few. For a full and regularly updated list of resources or if you have a resource which you'd be happy for others to use, please contact the GEN office. But for now... GM Crop Trials ! Regularly updated list of current and past crop trials in the UK, visit: www.geneticsaction.org.uk/testsites For a map based version, visit: www.gm-info.org.uk ! Briefings on specific crops, the trials programme, and safety issues, available from Genewatch ! Briefing on farm scale trials, from Greenpeace: 0207 865 8100 ! "My first little book of GM crop decontamination" , excellent guide to covert crop actions, available from 01803 866406 ! "What to do if there's a GM test site near you": step by step guide to different campaigning methods, available from GEN ! Stop the Crop video summary of resistance to GM crops in the UK. Available at cost price from GEN Human GE ! New Briefing available from Human Genetics Alert: 0207 7046100 GM Coffee ! Leaflets, campaign ideas and information from Action Aid:0207 5617611 Animal Feed ! New website: issues, action ideas, etc. www.animalfeed.org ! Briefings: detailed briefings on animal feed, the issues and analysis of the companies involved, from Corporate Watch ! Two new Greenpeace briefings on 'supermarkets & animal feed' and on 'non-GM seed for farmers'. Legal Advice ! Briefings on legal issues, legal support, legal procedure and advice is available from Activists Legal Project: 01865 243772 activistslegal@gn.apc.org General information ! For regular e-mail updates, news and ideas subscribe to gm-act (majordomo@foe.co.uk; put subscribe gm-action in subject), ngin@icsenglish.com or genetics@gn.apc.org ! Get the monthly Earth First! Action Update for reports and information on direct action on all issues: factionupdate@bigfoot.com ! Monthly e-mail digests on campaigning news from news@corporatewatch.org. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legal Roundup ! A couple of days before the anti-GM rally in June, the Wivenhoe 11 were acquited of criminal damage charges after Aventis claimed that they had trashed the wrong side of the crop. ! The 20p Three! At the Wivenhoe rally three people were arrested for criminal damage. They are alleged to have uprooted a grand total of twenty plants. Returning for police bail, they were charged for the massive sum of twenty pence, between them!. ! The case against the SURGE 7, arrested at Over Compton last year, was dropped on the second day in court. The District judge ruled that Aggravated Trespass was an inappropriate charge since no activity was taking place on the field at the time to be obstructed. The 7 celebrated with champagne and maize breaking before the cameras in the nearby GM field. The prosecution is appealing to the High Court. ! At the Flintshire rally in Wales 6 people were arrested for Aggravated Trespass. They were given police bail, and the case has been adjourned. ! Barbara and Jim are still awaiting their trial on 12 Nov for decontaminating a crop of GM maize in Hereford last year. contact Barbara on 01981 510659 ! Look out for people for in your area who were arrested while blockading Sainsbury's distribution centres last winter. Most of those charged will be appearing in court in September. ! The police found a credit card on a field of 80% covertly trashed oilseed rape last year. After checking several addresses they finally caught up with the owner at his parent's house in June and charged him with over £17,000 of criminal damage. The VISA 1 is now on unconditional bail and due to appear in Cheltenham on 16th October. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The new GEN office The Genetic Engineering Network office may have been quiet in the last year or so, but during that time people from around the country have been coming together to discuss how the office can best serve a growing and diverse network of amazing anti-GE campaigners. The GEN office is now nearly five years old. Its main aim is to network the growing movement of resistance to genetic engineering, and provide information and resources for action to all who need them. The office moved into new premises in July, and is now staffed every working day, has new structures in place, and is a space for anyone living in London (or just passing through!) to campaign on genetics. So what does the office actually do? Here's some of the roles that the GEN office fulfills: press work, publicising and offering help with events around the country, an email list, organisng regular gatherings, archiving and redistributing resources... So, if you need any advice or practical help, have any ideas about what the office could be doing better, or can offer any help to us, get in contact: Genetic Engineering Network, 1a Waterlow Road, Archway, London, N19 5NJ 0207 272 1586 gen@gn.apc.org www.geneticsaction.org.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Designer labels Now pay attention, because there's been some fairly interesting things going on with labelling which could kick start that big Europe v America showdown we've all been waiting for. There's a proposed set of EU legislation which has been passed by the commission, and will probably be approved by the parliament, which demands: ! the labelling of all GM animal feed (though not the products from animals fed on GM feed) ! the labelling of all GM derivatives, oils, starches, lecithin and flavourings (which have previously slipped through the net) ! and full traceability of all GM ingredients back to source. Unfortunately it also accepts background contamination levels of up to 1% in non GM crops, and products that haven't yet been given approval by the parliament can be present in food by up to 1%. America's in a terrible flap about it, claiming they'll lose up to 4 billion dollars in exports, and are already threatening trade sanctions. They may well report the ruling to the World Trade Organisation (the WTO: unaccountable international policers of the global economy) as a "barrier to free trade". (Anything which offers consumers a choice corporations don't like). The Independent got hold of a leak which implied that Blair was chatting to Bush about ways to stop the legislation in its tracks. So watch this space... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Give us yer money Erm, help! In the past the Update has been massively subsidised by a stash of cash, but that money has finally run out. So much time was been spent bringing you all that's good and glam in genetix reportage that funding proposals have been neglected. Volunteers (or generous benefactors) willing to sort this out for us would be most welcome. In the meanwhile, thanks to those that have sent in subs. If you don't receive future copies of the update by post it's because we've lost the records of who's paid & who hasn't and have had to rationalise the distribution. Your GU will be available from your local group untill normal service can be resumed. With profuse apologies, the humble amateurs of Totnes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For Subscriptions to the Genetix Update contact: ToGG (Totnes Genetics Group) PO Box 77, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5ZJ Tel: 01803-840098 or email: info@togg.org.uk There is a minimum suggested donation of £5 a year, if you can afford it. Outside Europe we ask £15. Cheques and postal orders can be made out to Genetix Update. Please let us know if your subscription has lapsed. *The GEN database will only be used to distribute the newsletter and strictly related material. NAME:.................................................... ADDRESS:................................................. ......................................................... PHONE(optional):......................................... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nerd Note: Genetix Updates can be downloaded and printed from the Internet in PDF format at www.togg.org.uk. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Disclaimer: The editors are not responsible for the actions or events described within, or for getting carried away with the cheap and blatent starwars plagiarism.