FIVE YEAR FREEZE CAMPAIGN The Genetic Engineering Alliance 94 White Lion Street London N1 9PF Tel: 020 7837 0642/01273 822700 Fax: 020 7837 1141 clare@fiveyearfreeze.org www.fiveyearfreeze.org 17th July 2003 FIVE YEAR FREEZE PRESS RELEASE GM PUBLIC DEBATE ENDS - now Government must act on the results GM Nation? The Public Debate closes this Friday 18th July, after running for only six weeks. In spite of the lack of time and the poor publicity, some 400 - 500 debates have taken place across the country and over 20,000 people have responded, in a public consultation exercise far larger than anything previously carried out by Government. Because of the short time scale many people are only just finding out about the debate as it closes, and will miss their opportunity to participate. It also ends before the appearance of the Government's review of the science of GM crops and the results of the farm scale evaluations. Clare Devereux, Director of the Five Year Freeze and a member of the Public Debate Steering Board, said: 'Response has been excellent, showing how important this issue is to people all over the country. We now urge Margaret Beckett to commit to incorporating the results of this massive public response into Government decision-making, something she has so far failed to do. The public has been debating GM crops for five years now and we urge people to continue to do so - even if the 'official' debate organised by the Government is ending. This is after all the 'public's debate' and the public should carry it on as long as necessary'. END [1] List of Five Year Freeze members attached [2] For more information contact Clare Devereux, 020 7837 0642 (office), 07803 002825 (mobile) [1] Supporters of the Five Year Freeze (founders in bold) are: Action Aid Action Against Allergy Additives Survivors' Network Agricultural Christian Fellowship Baby Milk Action Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union Biodynamic Agricultural Association Black Environmental Network Body Shop International PLC British Allergy Foundation British Association of Fair Trade Shops British Association of Nature Conservation British Naturopathic Association Caduceus Catholic Institute International Relations Centre for Alternative Technology Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Christian Aid Christian Ecology Link Communities Against Toxics Compassion In World Farming Corporate Watch Council for the Protection of Rural England Culpepers Ecologist Ecology Building Society Econexus Elm Farm Research Centre Ethical Consumer Farm-A-Round Ltd Farming and Livestock Concern Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens Find Your Feet Food Commission Food for Health Network Food Poverty Network Forum for the Future Fresh Food Company Freshlands UK Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth Scotland Gaia Foundation Gardeners GMO Group GE Free Forests Genetics Food Alert Genetics Forum GeneWatch UK GM-Free Cymru GMO Campaign Good Gardeners Association Green & Blacks Green Books Green Network Green Party Greenpeace Guild of Fine Food Retailers Guild of Food Writers Harvest Help HDRA Health Food Manufacturer's Association Help International Plant Protein Organisation (HIPPO) Hyperactive Children's Support Group Iceland Foods Institute for Science in Society Intermediate Technology Development Group International Society for Ecology and Culture Islamic Concern Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environment Sciences Living Lightly Local Government Association Longhouse Food Consultancy Maternity Alliance Medact National Association of Health Stores National Federation of Women's Institutes National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd Natural Law Party Natures Store Ltd. Neal's Yard Bakery Neal's Yard Remedies New Economics Foundation New Internationalist Noah Project Organic Farm Foods Wales Organic Gardening Organic Shop Organics Direct Oxfam People & Planet Permaculture Association UK Permaculture Magazine Permanent Publications Pesticides Action Network UK Plamil Food Planet Organic Positive News Pret A Manger Pro-natural Food Scotland Resurgence Scientists for Global Responsibility Scottish Beekeepers Association Small Farms Association Soil Association Student Environment Network TGWU The Harbour Townswomen's Guilds Traidcraft Plc Triodos Bank UNISON Vegan Society Vegetarian Society Vetwork UK Vinceremos Wines & Spirits Ltd Welsh Beekeepers Association Whole Earth Foods Ltd Wholesome Food Association Wildlife Trusts Womankind Worldwide Women's Environmental Network Woodland Trust World Development Movement World Wide Fund for Nature