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Chemicals giant drops its support
Dec 19 2002
Leatherhead Advertiser

AN AGROCHEMICAL company that came under fire for supporting the Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) has withdrawn its sponsorship.

Syngenta, a multinational firm which develops genetically-modified products and pesticides, offered to give funding to the trust after it relocated to Guildford.

But it decided to stop providing sponsorship after the Advertiser reported how some SWT members were unhappy that a company responsible for producing GM crops was involved with the trust.

Although Syngenta has a history of supporting conservation groups, some felt it was not a suitable partner for Wokingbased SWT, which manages land in Mole
Valley.

In a letter to the Advertiser, Syngenta's external relations manager, Dr Ian
Weatherhead, said the company develops and markets products that "play an
important role in the global provision of plentiful supplies of healthy food crops".

He said that he believed the technology should not be rejected on emotional
grounds before it had been given a chance to demonstrate benefits to consumers.

But he said that the company felt it could no longer continue its partnership with the trust and he was "genuinely disheartened" by the reaction of SWT supporters.

SWT director Paul Wickham said: "They called us to say the company felt its
support of the trust's work was counterproductive to both sides."

He confirmed that it had been withdrawn, adding that when Syngenta had arrived in the area it had offered support for SWT because of its relationships with other wildlife trusts.

"We considered it, accepted it and publicised it in our What's On publication, which Syngenta sponsored," said Mr Wickham. "The reference in it prompted some members to raise the issue. I think I had 10 letters about it.

"We have been growing our membership significantly over recent years and now have over 10,000 members.

"We have support from a number of businesses and we do believe that they have a role to play in local community organisations.

"I respect the views of those members who didn't think we should be working with Syngenta."