GMW: Illegal GM varieties found in UK imports

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GMW: Illegal GM varieties found in UK imports

" GM WATCH " <info

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 21:59:37 +0100

 

 

(Of course the majority of the people in the USA do not have a clue

that they are eating genetically modified foods and have been doing so

for about 9 years now.)

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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1.Illegal varieties of GM are being imported into UK

2.GM Trial updates - day by day

 

excerpt: Greenpeace can now reveal that tests on imports of American GM

maize coming into Bristol contained unauthorised illegal GM organisms.

The varieties were banned in Europe, but were found by expert

laboratory analysts in samples taken from ships over the last two

years, both

before and after the shipment that the 13 have been acquitted for

blocking.

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1.Greenpeace 13 acquitted in GM trial

Campaigners reveal illegal varieties of GM are being imported into UK

Last edited: 16-09-2005

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/contentlookup.cfm?ucidparam=20050916114802 & MenuPoin\

t=D-I-A

 

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court today cleared 13 Greenpeace volunteers of

causing a public nuisance after a two-week trial that saw the trade in

GM animal feed attacked by defendants from the witness box.

 

The 13 were tried on charges relating to a protest last June when

Greenpeace blocked a 125,000 tonne bulk-carrier from unloading its

cargo in

Bristol. The Etoile's huge consignment - GM animal feed from the US -

was destined to be fed to British dairy cows to produce milk for the

UK's biggest supermarkets. Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and

Morrisons all sell own-brand milk from cows fed on American GM feed.

 

Speaking immediately after the verdict Ben Ayliffe, one of the

defendants, said: " We're obviously extremely happy with the verdict,

which

vindicates our action in trying to prevent what we believed to be illegal

GM organisms being imported into the country. Greenpeace believed our

volunteers were rightly acting to protect people's food and the

environment when we blocked the shipment. "

 

Greenpeace can now reveal that tests on imports of American GM maize

coming into Bristol contained unauthorised illegal GM organisms. The

varieties were banned in Europe, but were found by expert laboratory

analysts in samples taken from ships over the last two years, both

before and

after the shipment that the 13 have been acquitted for blocking.

 

Greenpeace was advised to withhold the results until the trial.

 

" We told the jury we were convinced illegal GM was being brought into

Britain and it seems they believed us, " said Ben Ayliffe. " GM crops are

untested and unpredictable and pose a threat to the environment. The

fact that we found illegal varieties in imported cargo shows this

industry is out of control. We'll continue our campaign against GM and

call

for a government investigation into these GM imports. "

 

The MV Etoile, a Panamanian-registered ship, went to anchor in the

Bristol Channel off Rhoose Point, South Wales, and was prevented from

docking for 36 hours after Greenpeace climbers boarded the vessel. The

protesters asked the captain to turn the ship around and return its GM

cargo

to the US. The ship eventually entered Bristol's Royal Portbury Dock

with climbers still on board.

 

For more contact Greenpeace on 0207 865 8255 / 07801 212967

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2.GM Trial updates

Last edited: 15-09-2005

 

The defence for the Greenpeace volunteers finished yesterday with

testimonies from two further defendants. Nicole Cook and Huw Williams

both

boarded the Etoile and spent the duration of the action on deck.

 

Nicole described her lack of faith in the UK authorities ability to

stop illegal GM imports. This was partly based on her own experience as a

farmer being sold illegal GM feed in 2001. She felt the response of

DEFRA in this instance was woefully inadequate since they proposed she

simply proceeded to grow, harvest and store the crop.

 

Huw described the friendly report which developed between Greenpeace

and the Etoile's crew. He said Nicole and he had shared food and

chocolate with the crew and heard that some of the crew members had

not been

allowed on shore for over four years.

 

14 September 2005

 

The jury heard from the first two defendants yesterday. Ben Ayliffe

(campaigner) explained why Greenpeace undertook the action to stop the

Etoile saying " We didn't just do this because we fancied it! We believe

the Etoile was carrying illegal GM crops. " Frank Hewetson, who

coordinated the action, said " I believe stopping possibly damaging GM

organisms

was in the public good. I honestly believe that. "

 

13 September 2005

 

Yesterday the jury heard the statement of the Etoile's Captain. Having

described how his vessel was approached and boarded by Greenpeace, the

Captain went on to say how, on the advice of the Coastguard, he then

turned and anchored the Etoile. He said he felt " comfortable and in

control of my vessel at all times. " This was the final evidence in the

prosecution's case.

 

The case for the defence starts today and is expected to continue all

week.

 

7 September 2005

 

Yesterday, the court continued to hear evidence from Prosecution

witnesses. Anthony Anderton, a Bristol Channel pilot, explained the

role of

the pilot in seeing the ship safely into port. He related how, on the

20th June, he would, as in the normal course of events, have boarded the

Etoile in open sea outside port limits, but was blocked by doing so by

Greenpeace protesters, so that the ship had to turn and go back to

anchor. He was landed on the ship by helicopter on the 21st June and,

following removal of two protestors by police, guided the Etoile

safely into

port on the Tuesday morning.

 

The Court also heard from Hugh Davies, John McAllister, Martin Bourmer

and Daniel Brown, all members of the RNLI lifeboat team, who explained

how they had been called to the scene on the 20th June by the

coastguard. Although Greenpeace had their own safety boats, the

coastguard

wanted the RNLI there just in case. However they did leave the area to

attend another incident of a ruptured upturned dinghy - which turned

out to

be a fridge. Some had attended, again in a safety capacity, on 21st

June while police removed protesters from the stern of the ship.

Greenpeace were described as " very professional, very well equipped "

and " very

competent " . According to these witnesses, " The protesters did not

present a danger to themselves or others. They were very polite and well

mannered. " The court will continue to hear from Prosecution witnesses

tomorrow.

 

Tuesday 6 September 2005

 

On Monday we heard evidence from Mr Sage of Arkady Feed UK, owned by

Toepfer International who are in turn owned by Archer Daniels Midland in

the US. Mr. Sage confirmed that the cargo of the MV Etoile had in fact

" contained GM. " In addition, he said that after harvest, maize from the

US (70% of which is GM) - such as that on board the MV Etoile when we

took action - is all mixed together in giant silos. Non-GM and GM crops

are not kept apart at all. Mr Sage claimed that his company imports

100,000 metric tonnes of these GM products into the EU roughly every six

weeks. The UK alone imports about 70,000 metric tonnes of maize gluten

feed each year.

 

Further evidence was heard from a deckhand with the Barry pilot the

RNLI and the South Wales police.

 

 

 

 

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