![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() Sunday, July 18, 1999 Published at 18:06 GMT 19:06 UK ![]() ![]() UK ![]() Protesters rip up GM crops ![]() The protesters attacked a 25-acre GM crop field ![]() Protesters opposed to genetically modified (GM) crops have ripped up a field of GM oilseed rape in Oxfordshire.
As demonstrators left one field, they reportedly split into two groups and stampeded into the trial site, rolling over plants and ripping up handfuls of the crop.
"We did everything possible to facilitate a peaceful protest and as a result of the actions of a section of the protesters we will now be making arrests for criminal damage. 'Decontamination process' "We will also be instigating an inquiry against those involved to make sure that they are tracked down and arrested." A spokeswoman for the environmental group Greenpeace defended the actions. "It is a non-violent protest, it's just a decontamination process," she said. Alan Simpson MP, the author George Monbiot and Lynda Brown were among those who addressed the rally. "There has been overwhelming interest from groups and individuals wanting to voice their opposition to these crops," a Gen spokesman said. He said Gen intended the rally to be a peaceful protest. Funding review On Sunday it emerged the government was to review the amount of money it puts into the organic food industry after the backlash against genetically modified foods and other safety scares.
The government currently hands out £6.5m a year to farmers to help them to convert to organic methods, which usually takes about three years. Organic food production in the UK still only accounts for 1% of all food production but is currently worth about £400m a year while 75% of organic food sold in the UK is imported. Anti-GM and environmental campaigners are pressing the government to hit a target of 10% of all food being organic by 2005. ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() UK Contents ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |