WILL GB BECOME A NATION OF GM?
This press release was posted on : 19th June 2003
South West organic businesses open the floor for debate
The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) and Yeo Valley Organic are inviting people to take part in what promises to be an evening of passionate debate on GM food at the Lakewood Conference Centre, Blagdon in Somerset on 15th July from 6pm.
Chaired by Sue McGregor, former presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, this formal debate has been designed to allow people in the region to voice their opinions about GM and be included in the national discussion. The results will be fed back to Government to help inform their policy-making on GM.
The motion to be debated is as follows: "This house believes we will all benefit from GM food, now and in the future: from better and cheaper food and other plant products, an environment less damaged by agriculture, more wild and recreational land saved from the plough, and less poverty and food shortages in developing countries."
Supporting this motion will be Tony Combes, Corporate Affairs Director at Monsanto, and Professor Vivian Moses, Chairman of the CropGen panel. Speaking in opposition to this motion will be Peter Melchett, Policy Director at the Soil Association and Nathan Argent of Greenpeace, offering up a balanced and worthwhile discussion. Politicians and industry representatives are being invited to attend, with a limited number of tickets available for members of the public by calling 0117 922 7799 and asking to speak to the GM debate team or by visiting www.organicmilk.co.uk.
Sally Bagenal, Chief Executive of OMSCo, commented, "Both OMSCo and Yeo Valley Organic are delighted to be a part of this far reaching debate on GM, as it has clear implications for UK agriculture. It gives an opportunity to look at GM in an open and transparent manner and gives all stakeholders a chance to table their views and shape what Britons will consume in the future."
People who are interested in attending the debate should call 0117 922 7799 or visit www.organicmilk.co.uk.
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For more information, please contact Katy Bedingfield, Tim Ledeboer or Amy Shackleton on 0117 922 7799.
Editors notes
"GM Nation?" has been created by the GM Public Debate Steering Board in order to enable people to engage with the complex and emotive issues which surround this topic.
OMSCo was formed in 1994 when five like-minded
organic dairy farmers joined forces to sell their organic milk. Now with around 500 members, OMSCo is the largest and longest established UK organic milk supplier.