Skip to content or view screen version

Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour

Earth Liberation | 06.05.2003 18:27 | Birmingham

A group calling themselves the Earth Liberation Front have a made a total of six audacious raids to disable one of the last midlands GM farm scale trials of Genetically Modified crops. On their last visit early in the morning of Sat 3rd May, the group even stayed until daybreak so that they could photograph the results of their work. The photos show the extent of the damage they have caused. (article 1)

Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour
Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour

Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour
Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour

Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour
Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour

Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour
Midlands G M Trial destroyed at 12th hour


On their last visit early in the morning of Sat 3rd May, the group even stayed until daybreak so that they could photograph the results of their work. The photos show the extent of the damage they have caused.

This comes at a most embarrassing time for both biotech company, Aventis and the government who are this month embarking on a GM Public Debate. Aventis can ill afford to lose data in this way as several farmers have pulled out of the trials over the three years they have been taking place.

A spokesperson for the group who agreed to be known only as GM Free Cathy said “Our action is different to those carried out by other groups. We decided that we needed plenty of time to remove as much of the crop as possible. We first entered the field on a frosty December night and have since returned five times, decontaminating a different part of the field on each visit. As the crop grew we changed our technique, using hoes when the plants were small and scythes when they became waist high. We even perfected our own tool using pallet wood.”

The farmer, Mr Meadows has been conducting the trial on behalf of the biotech company Aventis, a division of Bayer CropScience Ltd on a farm near Alveston near Stratford on Avon.

“Apart from being dangerous to other plants and the whole environment if genes transfer, these crops benefit no-one except the seed companies,” said Cathy “They have no added value nutritionally, they are not cheaper and the farmers are locked into impossibly tight contracts. In short, they are a cynical attempt to control the entire food production process from seed to plate. We would not accept this kind of monopoly in any other business. Why risk the world’s food supply in this giant gamble?”

When asked to answer the charge that these protests amount to no more than a form of vandalism, Cathy stood up for her un-named colleagues. “These are proud and lovely people who wouldn’t harm a flea but will always stand up for what they know is right,” she said.

Earth Liberation

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

could biological detergent powder be used too

06.05.2003 19:46

Thinking that coz its biological it will decay eventually. Not sure what effect it will have on the cropz, but maybe it could trigger a bio-warfare alert, heh-heh. They dont declare a genetic mutation alert, but they see a white ust on their crop and quick "its anthrax!"

Any1 think of anyother non-harmful to wildlife stuff that will decontaminate fields?

camden autonomists


Camden idiots - spraying detergent is violent

07.05.2003 11:49

The camden autonomist who posted his detergent remark is an idiot. The only result of spraying a dry detergent powder on a crop would be to poison wildlife and humans - including any farm labourers and people living downwind. Their breathing would be severely impaired, and death would be a real possibility. Their lungs would collapse and foam. The person who posted that remark would be guilty of manslaughter if such an act of poisoning was committed. On a personal level - you sound like you are as well informed as Cathy Cretin - perhaps you should consider going to FE college and studying chemistry or biology.

Dr Food


naive

07.05.2003 14:19

You must be really naive if you seriously believe such
technology, in the hands of profit-making corporations,
will ever be used to the benefit of the hungry in the
third world.

Perhaps you should get out there and inform yourself a bit,
before you criticise those who are willing to act on their
principles.

anyone


No need for anthrax scares!

07.05.2003 15:52

Spreading detergent on fields would be pretty stupid, there's no need to contaminate the environment more. If you wanted to spread a white powder why not use something like chalk or flour that would have no environmental/health effects.

But its better just to destroy the crop rather than risk getting nicked for a fake anthrax scare, you'll get away with a slap on the wrist for destroying GM crops, but hoax anthrax scares will get you in serious shit. Think about it!

Miss Point


Thumnbail

08.05.2003 11:21

Thumnbail
Thumnbail

Thumbnail image

imc gimpmister


Genetic Engineering - Paradise on Earth or a

08.05.2003 14:27

Should answer some of the questions being posed.

Keith Parkins
- Homepage: http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/genetics.htm


Unsound science

08.05.2003 23:37

If these farm trials are the ones I went to an official Conference on, in the Chemistry Soc building, they are not
testing the crop, but testing the impact of the spraying on the wildlife- the microflora and insects.To wreck
the trials what has to be done is to introduce healthy bugs and bacteria onto the sites after the spraying, the
scientific basis of the trial is then destroyed. If you want to be nasty, you would introduce diseased life, or even spray-resistant GM weeds. There are some very nasty hard to eradicate ones to be had.

The introduction of alien lifeforms might be considered. Before an apple was planted in New Zealand, it was a
barren land. The present green of N.Z. spread out from the first apple trees transported there with their soil
which also contained some chance earthworms. That was a beneficial introduction. The reverse introduction to
the UK some bloody idiot brought in, is the New Zealand flatworm which devours our earthworms at a great pace,
and does not have whatever predator there is for it in NZ. Perhaps our starving moles will keep them under
control, but once the moles are dead, then maybe the NZ flatworm will do as much damage to UK farming by killing
earthworms as the Earthworm did good for NZ.

Any farmer who enables the Multinationals to prosecute their neighbours through polluting the crops with
patented GM pollen should be driven out of farming. Politicians who pass laws enabling such, and make laws
that prevent GM polluters being prosecuted for the damage they do should.. well, is there an adequate
punishment? They are traitors selling out to foreigners.

Ilyan


Pro-GM food

10.05.2003 07:41

The Earth Liberation Front is destroying GM test crops to prevent Monsanto from getting a monopoly? Considering how messed up agricultural markets are through subsidies, trade barriers,etc. that doesn't really make sense to me.
As for GM foods in general we've been eating them in America for years without any problems, although the square apples are kind of odd.

David L


Did you get the right field this time?

15.05.2003 23:19

Following your record I think people need proof it was GM and not some poor farmers beet crop.

Ral
- Homepage: http://insideyourmind.blogspot.com/