Press releases

Gene silencing plans make objectors shout louder Plans for new GM crop trial raise objections from leading environmental and farming organisations

Immediate release (16 Apr 2019)

Thirty-one organisations including some of the UK’s biggest environmental organisations, farmers, scientists, seed distributors and retailers lodged a formal objection today to The Sainsbury Laboratory’s plans for a new open-air field trial of GM potatoes on farms in Suffolk and …
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Pick-and-mix GM crop plans are playing games with regulations Plans for new GM crop trials raise objections from leading environmental and farming organisations

Immediate release (21 Mar 2019)

Thirty-five organisations including some of the UK’s biggest environmental organisations, farmers, scientists, seed distributors and retailers yesterday lodged a formal objection to plans for a new open-air field trial of GM camelina plants at Rothamsted Research’s farms in Hertfordshire and …
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High iron doughnuts and promiscuous brassicas prompt objections to proposed GM field trials

Immediate release (26 Feb 2019)

Thirty-three organisations including farmers, researchers, seed distributors, retailers and environmentalists today lodged formal objections to proposed open-air field trials of biofortified GM wheat and genome edited brassica in Norfolk. Disputing health claims made by researchers at the John Innes Centre …
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New petition launched to protect GM food labels

Immediate release (2 Oct 2018)

A new petition, aiming to protect consumers’ right to make an informed choice about their food choices, was launched online this week. Presented jointly by campaign groups GM Freeze and Beyond GM , the Don’t Hide What’s Inside petition calls …
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Campaign groups demand action as Rothamsted Research GM field trial is ruled unlawful GM Freeze and GeneWatch UK write to Michael Gove following key ECJ ruling

Immediate release (25 Jul 2018)

GM Freeze and GeneWatch UK have today written to Environment Secretary Michael Gove, to demand the immediate halt of an unlawful trial of gene edited plants at Rothamsted Research (1). The trial of genetically modified (GM) Camelina sativa, includes some …
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ECJ rules in favour of tough regulation for new GM techniques

Comment (25 Jul 2018)

UK umbrella campaign GM Freeze today welcomed a European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision to ensure proper regulation of controversial new genetic engineering techniques. Supporting the position taken by environmental campaigners, the judgement states that organisms obtained by mutagenesis are …
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DEFRA issues a free pass on new GM technique Crop created using CRISPR genome editing techniques to be planted without a full risk assessment

Comment (22 May 2018)

DEFRA has given Rothamsted Research consent to plant a new open air field trial of GM camelina plants, including two lines produced using new CRISPR genome editing techniques. The trial application did not include a risk assessment for the CRISPR plants …
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Proposed GM trial presents new risk to people and wildlife Plants produce wax esters which can cause oily anal discharge if eaten

Immediate release (28 Mar 2018)

Twenty-six organisations including farmers, scientists, retailers and environmentalists today lodged a formal objection to the latest proposed open-air GM field trial by Rothamsted Research. If granted consent by Defra, the trial will see genetically modified camelina plants grown in open …
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Brexit and GM Twin campaigns launched to safeguard our food and our farms

Immediate release (8 Mar 2018)

GM Freeze, the UK’s umbrella campaign on genetic modification (GM) in food and farming, today launched twin campaigns aiming to protect key safeguards as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU). Focused on issues around growing and importing …
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Why are NGOs sceptical of genome editing? New peer reviewed report finds that NGO opposition to agricultural biotechnology cannot be dismissed as being emotional or dogmatic

Immediate release (6 Nov 2017)

‘Genome editing is not the answer to world poverty, because food shortage isn’t the problem’ says a group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) surveyed by the University of Nottingham. This is one of three main findings in a report from the …
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