FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday 29th February 2000 THE FIVE YEAR FREEZE ALLIANCE TO-DAY CALLED ON TONY BLAIR TO DEMONSTRATE HIS COMMITMENT TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC WITH ACTION, BY ANNOUNCING A MINIMUM FIVE YEAR MORATORIUM ON GENETIC ENGINEERING IN FOOD AND CROPS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. 108 organisations, representing over three million people, are to-day renewing their call for a freeze on the import, growing and patenting of genetically engineered food and crops. The diversity of support from development agencies, environmental groups, women's organisations, trade unions, and local authorities demonstrates the range of concerns throughout society about this issue. Supporters include the Townswomen's Guild, Action Aid, the Council for the Protection of Rural England, the World Wildlife Fund and many others. This is not just a matter of science for scientists. In addition to the impact on human health and the environment, moral and ethical concerns must be taken into consideration, assessment must be made of the socio-economic impacts on farmers both in the UK and internationally, and concerns over the further industrialisation of agriculture and corporate control of the food chain must be addressed. A minimum five year moratorium would allow for full consideration of these issues and for a process of public information and consultation to take place. The government must act now to restore public confidence in our food and food policy. Helen Carey, National Chairman of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, said to-day: 'WI members have been expressing their fears for two years that GM crops could pose a health risk, so we welcome the Prime Minister's new understanding of the public's concern. But the issues don't stop with health - impacts on the environment and the world's poor are equally important. Words are no substitute for action, and we are still calling for a five year freeze on the commercial growing of GM crops.' Chair of the Freeze campaign, Helena Paul, said 'It is excellent to hear the Tony Blair wants to proceed with caution with genetic engineering in food and crops, and put health and safety before profit. For a long time it has seemed as if the Government did not want to listen to public opinion. Now is the moment to commit itself to a minimum five year moratorium as called for by the Freeze campaign, especially now that we have a Biosafety Protocol with the precautionary principle at its heart.' End. Notes for Editors: For more information contact Clare Devereux, Co-ordinator, Five Year Freeze 0171-837 0642/01272 822700 or Helena Paul 0171 435 5000. Supporters of the Five Year Freeze are: Action Aid Action Against Allergy Agricultural Christian Fellowship Baby Milk Action British Association of Nature Conservationists Biodynamic Agriculture Association Black Environmental Network Body Shop International PLC British Allergy Foundation British Association of Fair Trade Shops British Naturopathic Association Caduceus Centre for Alternative Technology Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Christian Aid Christian Ecology Link Catholic Institute for International Relations Compassion in World Farming Communities Against Toxics Council for the Protection of Rural England Ecologist Ecology Building Society Elm Farm Research Centre Farm-A-Round Farming and Livestock Concern Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens Find Your Feet Food Commission Food for Health Network Fresh Food Company Freshlands UK Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth Scotland Gaia Foundation Gardeners GMO Group GE Free Forests Genetic Food Alert - and its member organisations Genetics Forum GenetiX Snowball GeneWatch UK GMO Campaign Good Gardeners Association Green & Blacks Green Books Green Network Green Party Greenpeace Guild of Fine Food Retailers Guild of Food Writers Henry Doubleday Research Association Health Food Manufacturer's Association Help International Plant Protein Organisation (HIPPO) Hyperactive Children's Support Group Iceland Frozen Foods Islamic Foundation of Ecology and Environment Institute for Science in Society Intermediate Technology Development Group International Society for Ecology and Culture Islamic Concern Living Lightly Local Government Association Longhouse Maternity Alliance Medact National Federation of Women's Institutes National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd Natural Law Party 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 Permanent Publications Pesticides Trust Plamil Foods Ltd Planet Organic Positive News Pret A Manger Resurgence Scientists for Global Responsibility Scottish Consumer's Association for Natural Food Small Farmers Association Soil Association Splice (Genetics Forum) Student Environment Network Trade and General Workers Union The Harbour Townswomen's Guilds Triodos Bank Unison Vegan Society Vegetarian Society Vetwork UK Vinceremos Wines & Spirits Ltd World Development Movement Whole Earth Foods Ltd Wildlife Trusts Womankind Worldwide Women's Environmental Network World Development Movement World Wide Fund for Nature