MEDIA RELEASE
Oxford Friends of the Earth, c/o 13 Princes Street, Oxford. OX4 1DD.
Tel. 01865 203 015
Web: www.oxfoe.co.uk

Immediate release    16 February 2004

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL DECIDES GM-FREE FUTURE
TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2004

On Tuesday 17 February at 2 pm, The Executive of Oxfordshire County 
Council will meet at County Hall in Oxford to decide whether to adopt 
policies to stop the commercial growing of Genetically Modified crops in 
Oxfordshire [1]. The meeting will consider a report from the Solicitor 
to the Council that says that EU legislation exists to stop commercial 
GM growing in Oxfordshire. The report was order after a Council meeting 
in November 2003.

The Council will decide on Tuesday whether to:

* Oppose commercial growing of GM crops and seek exemptions from their 
growing in Oxfordshire (in effect a ban);
* Consult farmers and growers who have registered in the Oxfordshire "GM 
Free Register"[2] and other representative agencies as to what other 
measures might be feasible to protect the economic well being of organic 
and other non-GM farmers and producers;
* Formally confirm the requirement that officers arranging contracts for 
the supply of foods ensure that there is an appropriate contractual 
requirement placed upon suppliers of food to take all reasonable and 
practicable steps to ensure that genetically modified food is not used 
or provided.

The Council have received many, many representations [3] for Oxfordshire 
to become a GM-Free County Council like our neighbouring Warwickshire 
and Gloucestershire, and other authorities around the Country [4].

ENDS

Contact Andrew Wood, Oxford Friends of the Earth 01865 203 015

Editors Notes

[1] The agenda for the Executive Meeting, with the County Solicitor’s 
report can be viewed at: 
http://www2.oxfordshire.gov.uk/hlpdownloads/ex170204.htm .The resolution 
for the GM-Free Oxfordshire is item 9 of the 15 item agenda.
[2] In November the Council asked the Oxfordshire Food Group to 
construct a register of ‘Oxfordshire farmers, market gardeners and 
others with a financial agricultural interest (including bee keepers) 
who wish to able to declare themselves GM-Free’. The Food Group is 
currently drawing up the register.
[3] The Council has received representations from farmers, farm workers, 
beekeepers, wildlife organisations, women’s groups and the general 
public for Oxfordshire to become a GM-Free County. At its November 
meeting the Council was presented with over a hundred letters from 
Oxfordshire farmers and growers asking for the commercial growing of GM 
crops to be prohibited. Oxfordshire farmer Charles Bennett from Sandy 
Lane Farm, Tiddington near Thame presented the letters. He can be 
contacted on: 07711 606 980
[4] See http://www.gmfreebirtain.com for further details of GM-Free 
local authorities.