Media ReleaseÝ
>FOR IMMEDIATE USE ON MONDAY 12th July 1999ÝÝÝÝ
>Genetic Engineering Network
>Tel. 0181 374 9516
><info@genetix.freeserve.co.uk>
>
>
>UK's ONLY GM TREES DESTOYED BY ACTIVISTS
>The only field trials of Genetically Modified trees
growing in the UK were
>destroyed by anti GM activists during the night, the
Genetic Engineering
>Network has learned this morning.
>
>In an anonymous phone call the activists claim to have
destroyed 115 of the
>estimated 120 GM poplars which were growing in 2 adjacent
test sites at
>AstraZeneca's research station in Bracknell, Berkshire. It
is claimed that
>some of the trees have been ringbarked while others have
been felled. As far
>as GEN is aware no one has been arrested in connection
with this action.
>
>This direct action against GM trees coincides with the
opening of the Forest
>Biotechnology conference taking place in Oxford this week.
The conference
>brings together scientists, academics and companies to
discuss the GM
>takeover of the world's forests. In a statement passed to
GEN the anonymous
>activists claiming responsibility for this action said the
following :
>
>"Genetic modification of trees is a major threat to the
worldís environment.
>Forests maintain our atmosphere and climate, and sustain
many thousands of
>independent species of animals and plants. Those who are
manipulating the
>DNA of trees, using very powerful but new and dimly
understood technology,
>show contempt for our planet and the life it supports,
including human life.
>They respect only profit for themselves and their
shareholders.
>
>"We have taken this action today in the hope of placing
some obstacle,
>however small, in the way of AstraZeneca and the rest of
the biotechnology
>business who are recklessly vandalising our world.
>
>"It is likely that AstraZeneca will respond by claiming
that their GM trees
>will allow more eco-friendly industrial processes and/or
help save the
>Earthís forests. Such cynical claims have been madeÝ
before by the
>biotechÝtransnationals and have been shown to be false. GM
trees will lead
>to increased conversion of forests into regimented wood
pulp factories and
>increased chemical use.
>
>"AstraZeneca has stated that the Poplars that they were
growing at Bracknell
>were safe because they could not cross-pollinate. This
ignores the issues of
>horizontal gene transfer which genetic manipulation makes
more likely to
>occur.
>Trees have much longer life cycles than other GM plants,
they have very
>extensive root systems and complex relationships with
other organisms, for
>instance insects and soil bacteria. Far from being ìsafety
trialsî the GM
>Poplar tests at Bracknell posed a threat to environmental
safety.
>
>"We have been forced to take this action ourselves because
the biotechnology
>companies have used their wealth and power to subvert not
only the process
>of
>scientific innovation but also the democratic process. We
call on the
>Government to cease its collusion with the biotech
industry. Our earth and
>its
>people should come before the reckless pursuit of profit."
>
>ENDS
>Editors Notes
>1. The location of the GE tree test site is Jealotts Hill
Research
>Station,Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 6EY. Phone AstraZeneca:
01344 424701. The
>grid reference for this site SU 8773. As far as we are
aware the site can be
>viewed
>>from the road.
>
>2. The trees are owned by AstraZeneca who have now
confirmed that the action
>took place - They are GM Poplar, modified for reduced
lignin content. Zeneca
>are by far the largest UK based biotech company - earlier
this year they
>merged
>with Astra, the pharmaceutical giant.
>
>3. A coalition campaign group opposing GE trees has been
formed in the past
>few
>months. The GEFF (GE Free Forestry) coalition has been
contacted and may be
>able to help with media enquiries.
geffcoalition@hotmail.com. For GEFF
>please
>call: 07771 788 750
>
>4. GEFF are planning a protest outside the Forestry
Biotech Conference on
>Wednesday 14th July. Meeting point 9.30am, green space
opposite Natural
>History
>museum of Oxford University, Parks Rd, Oxford. (more
details below press
>release)
>
>5. This is the 2nd time in the UK that GE trees have been
targetted by
>activists. The first came in 1997 when a test site of GE
apple trees in
>DerbyshireÝ was ringbarked during a night time action.
>==========
>Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 17:34:14 +0100
>From: genetics <genetics@gn.apc.org>
>Subject: GE - An Alternative Model Farm occupied and
transformed
>
>An Alternative Model Farm occupied and transformed
>
>Occupation and transformation of farm-house at farm-scale
trial of genetically
>modified crops.
>
>In the early hours of Friday morning (July 9th 1999),
eighteen people
>occupied a farm house belonging to the owner of Model
Farm, near
>Watlington in Oxfordshire where a farm scale trial (up to
10 hectares/ 24
>acres) of genetically modified (GM) oil seed rape are
being grown. The
>grounds of the farm house were quickly transformed into an
organic garden to
>demonstrate an alternative to the GM crops being grown in
the adjacent
>field, hence it's new name 'The Alternative Model Farm'.
The garden was
>completed for viewing for a wonderful open day that took
place on Sunday 11th
>July.
>
>The Alternative Model Farm (formerly known as Clare Hill
Farm) was
>unoccupied and is structurally sound. It has been left
open and derelict for
>five years and
>was cleaned and made habitable by its new occupants. It
forms part of
>the Macclesfield Estate, reportedly 3,000 acres which also
includes Model
>Farm. The Estate owners had not given permission to occupy
the building.
>
>The grounds of the farm are approximately half an acre.
The organic garden
>demonstrates sustainable agriculture, free from synthetic
chemical
>fertilisers and pesticide, natural composting, companion
planting and
>materials recycling are design features. An information
marquee houses
>disoplays and reading material explainig the dangers of GM
crops and the
>benefits of organic agriculture and how you can become
active against GE
>technology.
>
>Local residents in Watlington and other villages had their
homes leafleted
>inviting them to the open day on Sunday 11th July where
many came along and
>looked around with some even helping in the gardens. A
community based
>campaign
>opposing the GM crops at Model Farm has been running since
May this year. A
>stall at the Watlington Festival on May Bank Holiday
distributed information
>and sold GM-Free cake. On 15th June a public
>meeting held at Icknield School in Watlington (population
2,500) attracted
>almost 200 people. A GM-free picnic and procession to the
site on 10th July
>attracted about 100 people including families and children
in a colourful and
>peaceful event. Local residents have already received
Oxy-gene's Newsletter; a
>second edition will accompany the open day invitation. A
local residents group
>concerned about the GM crop is being established.
>
>Model Farm is one of only two sites in the UK which are
hosting farm-scale
>trials of GM oil seed rape, which are scheduled to last
for four years. One
>of the three trials at Lushill Farm, Hannington near
Swindon was stopped
>earlier this year, leaving Model Farm and Boothby Graffoe,
Lincolnshire as
>the remaining trials. The government will not confirm that
commercial
>planting will have to wait until the trials are completed.
>
>The GM crop, which is now flowering has been modified by
agrochemical
>company AgrEvo to tolerate their total herbicide, Liberty.
This herbicide
>kills all plants ('weeds') except the GM oil seed rape.
The farm scale
>trial's stated purpose is to assess the effect of
herbicide tolerant GM
>crops on the abundance and diversity of plants and
invertebrates. There is
>concern that the loss of wild plants ('weeds') could
remove the habitat and
>food source of wildlife which birds and small mammals feed
upon. Much
>wildlife including song birds are already under threat
from industrial
>agriculture and there is concern that GM crops will
intensify this pressure
>and could lead to species extinction.
>
>Kathryn Tulip, one of the demonstrators said
>"In contrast to the GM trial site across the road, the
Alternative Model
>Farm demonstrates a vision of sustainable agriculture
which benefits people
>and the environment, rather than just fuelling the profits
of the
>agrochemical industry".
>
>Oxy-gene is (Oxfordshire's Alliance opposed the
genetically modified food
>and crops) or it's members are **not** occupying the
farmhouse but Oxy-gene
>is obviously publicising the occupation by demonstrators.
They are available
>for interview and there is an on-site mobile phone. Note
that Vodafone is
>the only mobile phone network which functions in the area.
>
>The farmhouse ('The Alternative Model Farm') can be
reached by taking
>junction 6 of the M40 (signed Watlington). See map below.
Turn onto the
>B4009 and follow the road towards Watlington. You will
pass a right hand
>turn signed Lewknor and enter the village of Shirburn. On
leaving the
>village look for a right hand turn singed Pyrton. Take
this turn and follow
>the winding road into and out of Pyrton. Continue
following the road which
>after about half a mile will start to climb. The field of
GM oil seed rape
>(now flowering) can be seen on the right and on the left
the
>pull-in/entrance for The Alternative Model Farm (labeled
Clare Hill Farm on
>maps). The entrance is slightly obscured by trees and
hedgerow. There should
>be a sign visible from the road. If you pass the entrance
to the farm then
>you will come to a cross roads with a house on the right
at the junction;
>turn back and retrace your steps.
>
>The 'Stop the Crop' National Rally is being organised by
the Genetic
>Engineering Network. Speakers will include Alan Simpson
M.P.; George
>Monbiot, writer and journalist; Lynda Brown, food writer;
Jean Saunders from
>the successful Lushill Farm Campaign. Rally starts at 2.00
p.m. Contact
>G.E.N for more details, telephone: 0181 374 9516.
>
>*Photographs of the occupation are available from
photographer: Rob Todd
>Telephone: 07977 275 563
>* Video footage on DVC format of the occupation available
from Hugh
>Warwick page:04325 613 406
>
>OXY-GENE - Oxfordshire's alliance opposed to genetically
modified food and
>crops
>Box 'W', 111 Magdalen Rd, Oxford. OX4 1RQ. Tel/Fax: 01865
724 024
>PRESS LIAISON TEL: 0973 953 446
===
------------------
Kate Smith, Ph.D.
Vice President
AUS Consultants, Inc.
155 Gaither Drive
Moorestown, NJ 08057
609-234-9200 (O) 609-234-0733 (F)
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