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Press releases

News releases and comments from GM Freeze are listed below.

For more information, images and interviews, please contact Leonie Nimmo on 0845 217 8992 or leonie[at]gmfreeze.org


The case for regulating Gene Edited crops

Comment (7 Feb 2016)

Commenting for an Observer story considering the forthcoming EU decision about whether or not gene editing techniques give rise to GMOs, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: If this group of genetic engineering techniques escape classification as GM they could …
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Sweet Potato’s 8,000 years of natural selection

Comment (23 Oct 2015)

On 23 October the Guardian published a letter from Professor Anthony Trewavas of Scientific Alliance Scotland promoting the idea that sweet potato’s inclusion of genes naturally inserted by agrobacterium is equivalent to the creation of GM crops. We responded, as …
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Cultivating Fear or Misleading Viewers?

Comment (9 Jun 2015)

Responding to BBC One’s Panorama programme GM Food – Cultivating Fear (broadcast on Monday 8 June and available to view in the on BBC iplayer), GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill explains why viewers may have been misled. The Panorama programme focused …
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GM ingredients in Domino’s and Waitrose

Comment (21 Mar 2015)

Commenting on the news that Domino’s is selling GM pizza bases, and Waitrose has started stocking GM Hershey’s bars GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: Imported American sweets are bad enough but if Domino’s are making GM pizza bases here …
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MPs GM report

Comment (26 Feb 2015)

Commenting on the Science and Technololgy Committee’s report Advanced genetic techniques for crop improvement: regulation, risk and precaution, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill, who gave evidence to the committee and is quoted in the report said: The Science and Technology …
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Sad but not suprising to hear Minister backing GM

Comment (8 Jan 2015)

Commenting on the news that Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss had publicly planned GM in a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: It’s sad but hardly surprising to hear the same old rhetoric from Defra. …
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GM on the shelves in Marks & Spencer

Comment (10 Nov 2014)

Commenting on the news that Marks & Spencer is stocking six products containing GM ingredients, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: We have already seen American sweet treats containing GM ingredients sneaking into Tesco and other retailers, but however trendy …
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Social factors, justice and ethics are valid considerations

Comment (30 Oct 2014)

Commenting on an open letter from plant scientists backing GM, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: Those working with GM regularly complain that crop approvals are ‘blocked by politics’ but social factors, justice and ethics are perfectly valid considerations in …
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EU Council Vote Pushes GM Crop Decision to Parliament

Immediate release (12 Jun 2014)

Campaign group GM Freeze expressed disappointment today as the European Union Environment Council voted “Yes” on a controversial proposal that could see GM crops planted in UK fields as early as next year. The UK Government strongly favours GM technology, …
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UK set to support flawed, dangerous GM ban proposal

Comment (28 May 2014)

Commenting on the confirmation that the Council will vote on so-called national GM opt-outs on 12 June GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: This proposal is all about getting more GM crops into the ground more quickly, and if it …
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UK GM Camelina trial given consent

Comment (16 Apr 2014)

Commenting on the announcement that Defra has granted consent for Rothamsted Research to plant an open-air trial of GM Camelina sativa, modified to produce omega 3 fatty acids, GM Freeze Director Liz O’Neill said: GM Freeze opposed this trial and …
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Groups Object to New UK GM Trial Plan

Immediate release (26 Mar 2014)

GM Freeze is leading a coalition of organisations in outlining the scientific and other reasons why the UK Government should say “No” to growing genetically modified (GM) Camelina in Hertfordshire as early as next month. [1] Rothamsted Research, a publicly-funded …
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