During the months of June and July there will be a Government sponsored national debate on GM food and crops called "GM Nation?". Many groups have criticised the way the debate has been organised.
They are concerned about a lack of money, time and any real commitment by the Government to take account of the results in its decisions about the growing of crops in the UK.

You can learn more about the development of the debate by going to;
www.genewatch.org/debate/debate.html

Despite, concerns many groups such as the Five Year Freeze, National Federation of Women's Institutes and GeneWatch UK are encouraging people to take part in the debate. If few people take part, then the Government, when making its decision about GM crops in the UK later this year, will be able to say the UK public no longer really cares about GM. The concerns raised by the public over the last five years will then be ignored.

How to take part
GM Nation?', will consist of a series of meetings on a regional and local level. Each meeting will be provided with a toolkit consisting of a video, a CD-ROM and a workbook containing a feedback form where each individual will be able to express their views on both GM and on the process of 'GM Nation?' itself. GeneWatch therefore feels that it is very important that people try to become involved in the process and this can be done in a number of ways:

1. Attend one of the regional meetings taking place from the 3rd -13th June:
- 3rd June: NEC, Birmingham
- 5th June: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
- 7th June: Holiday Inn, Taunton
(Phone 01803 840098 to get involved in a colourful demo at the taunton event)
- 9th June: Kings Hall, Belfast
- 11th June: Quality Hotel, Glasgow
- 13th June: Pavilions, Harrogate (Yorkshire Showground)

To book tickets and for more information about the debate contact Lee Hancock at the Central Office of Information (COI), on 020 7261 8528.

2. Find out where local meetings are taking place in your area and attend them. GeneWatch has asked the Central Office of Information (COI) to place a list of local meetings on its public debate website at www.gmpublicdebate.org. However, if they don't do this or you don't have access to the Internet, you can ring Lee Hancock as above.

3. Organise your own 'GM Nation?' meeting. If you are part of a group with an interest in GM (e.g. a local community group or the Women's Institute) then you can organise a meeting as that group. However, you can also organise a meeting as an interested individual. The COI will provide anyone organising a meeting with a toolkit containing a video, CD-ROM and a workbook for each person attending the meeting. The toolkit is intended to act as stimulus material for discussion in the meetings. The workbook will also contain the feedback form and this will be your opportunity to express directly how you feel about both GM and about the process of 'GM Nation?'. The COI have said that they may be able to help people with the publicity and organisation of local meetings. The meetings should be organised for after the launch date of 3rd June and before the end of July. Again, ring Lee Hancock as above.

4. If you can't attend or organise a meeting, you will be able to use the public debate website. At the moment, we understand that the website will contain stimulus material similar to that on the CD-ROM and that there will be an opportunity to fill in the feedback form.
www.gmpublicdebate.org

Other things to do.....

1. This is a good time to organise other events and distribute leaflets and other information about GM crops and food. GeneWatch has a series of short issue papers as well as longer briefings and reports that we can send you.
www.genewatch.org or ring 01298 871898

2. Friends of the Earth are trying to get each Council in Britain to declare itself a GM-Free Zone. To get involved in their campaign
www.foe.co.uk or ring 0113 2428153

3. Many people would prefer to buy animal products such as meat, eggs and cheese from animals that had not been raised on GM feed. Many supermarkets promised customers they would meet these wishes, but some have failed to do so and may back down from those promises. Greenpeace are trying to stop that happening and if you want to help, contact them on
 info@uk.greenpeace.org or ring 020 7865 8100.

4. Raise your concerns with your MP - it's easy to fax them via
www.faxyourmp.com

5. Write to the Ministers, Margaret Beckett and Michael Meacher, and to the Prime Minister. If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, write to members of those devolved administrations.

6. Let your food retailers know your views on GM foods.

7. Call radio phone-in sessions and write to local and national newspapers.