Please support HEDON AGAINST GM!

Last year it was announced that GM potato trials were to take place this Spring in two places in the UK - Cambridge and Derbyshire.

The Derbyshire site was withdrawn and on February 27th this year Defra announced that BASF - a chemical company - intended to plant Genetically Modified potatoes in the Hedon / Preston area of East Yorkshire.

If this happened – it would pave the way for other GM crops to be cultivated in the UK. The Cambridge trial was to be held within a scientific research centre's grounds however our trial would be in an 'open field' site. Hull Friends of the Earth were approached by local Organic farmers asking for help and we decided to organise a sub group to campaign against the proposed trials.

We organised meetings, set up a website and planned a weekly stall at Hedon Market.

More details about the campaign will be added shortly.

We oppose the trial planting of GM Potatoes on the grounds of:

  • The risk of contamination of conventional and organic crops
  • The lack of demand for GM foods - consumers and food companies have rejected them
  • The lack of need to genetically modify potatoes for Blight resistance. Conventional plant breeding techniques having already developed Blight resistance in 20% of potato varieties
  • The lack of care shown by the UK Government who defined much weaker conditions for the trials compared to the Irish government.
  • The possible safety impacts of genetically modified crops.

The site has still not yet been fully identified (only a 4 figure grid ref has been given: TA1729) – the area appears to be on the border if not actually in neighbouring Preston.

The reason why they have picked the UK for these trials is because it became too difficult to plant in Ireland  - stiff public opposition and tougher criteria set by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.

The Financial Times reported:  “Barry Stickings of BASF said he did not expect too much opposition to the application”.

I think we proved him wrong!

For more information on GM potatoes please click on the links below:

This is the Friends of the Earth's objections in full (pdf)

GM Freeze's 2006 briefing on BASF's original application (pdf)

The Soil Association's comprehensive page on GM potatoes