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1. UK's Liberal Democrat Party leader opposes farmscale trial
2. American city councils getting ornery on biotech
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1. UK's Liberal Democrat Party leader opposes farmscale trial
Charles Kennedy, Liberal Democrat Party leader, has said he believes permission for a GM farmscale trial should not have been granted because of the uncertainties about repercussions on the environment and health. Presumably this opposition cannot apply solely to Kennedy's own backyard. This is the same trial that led the chairman of the council's land and environment committee to say that in the face of the denial of democracy and added that he would support direct action by the local community.
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Lib Dems clash over GM crops
BBC
Friday, 1 September, 2000, 08:26 GMT 09:26 UK

Scotland's Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie has clashed with his Liberal Democrat Party leader over a controversial GM trial in the Highlands. Charles Kennedy, MP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, has backed concerned residents on the Black Isle. They met on Thursday evening to express unhappiness that Munlochy farmer Jamie Grant has been given permission to sow GM oilseed.

A letter of support from Mr Kennedy was read to the meeting, which attracted more than 400 people. He said he believed the trial should not have been granted because the repercussions on the environment and health were not known.

The row came to a head this week when Highland Council lost its legal attempt to stop the planting of the GM crop, in a trial sanctioned by the Scottish Executive. Mr Finnie said he could understand public concerns, but that the executive would not have given its blessing if public safety had been at risk.

The Liberal Democrat MSP denied he was at odds with Mr Kennedy. "Charles is obviously concerned and if he is talking about public health and the environment than I agree we have to be careful.

"But I know Lib Dem policy on this matter and the Lib Dem position is that we are not opposed to field trials," said Mr Finnie. He added that he had to work within strict legal framework which is dictated by Europe.

"The rules say that unless I have science to say otherwise I have to grant the trial at this stage - I don't have the power to refuse. "We are putting into the ground a seed which has already undergone rigorous testing," said Mr Finnie.

Following the meeting, Highland councillor, Margaret Paterson, said nobody had been convinced by the arguments for the crop. She added: "In fact they were even more adamant that this would be detrimental to the area. "We will take a delegation to the Scottish Parliament next week and we are hoping Mr Finnie will see sense and will put back the decision.

"We know some of the sowing has taken place but we hope the rest can be stopped."

Highland Council brought its action at Edinburgh's Court of Session in the hope it would force the farmer to seek planning permission for the crop trial.

Agriculture is exempt from the normal planning constraints but the authority argued that the trial was a change of use from farming to scientific usage.
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2. American city councils are getting ornery on biotech
Farm News from Cropchoice
An alternative news service for American farmers
http://www.cropchoice.com
8/31/00

Now it's Cleveland...
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(31 August - Cropchoice News) -- American city councils are getting downright ornery on biotech. First it was George Bush's town of Austin, Texas calling for GMO labels. And there was Cargill's home turf, Minneapolis, Minnesota, which recently did the same. Not to be outdone, Boulder, Colorado just banned GMOs from 15,000 acres of city-owned farmland.

Now, Cropchoice has been sent a copy of a GMO labeling resolution recently passed by the city council in Cleveland, Ohio.

Except for the Boulder action, the new resolutions don't have any legal teeth ? they’re just political documents. But they are a pretty good urban barometer on GMOs. The most unexpected aspect of them may be the geography. You might have expected these resolutions coming from San Francisco or New England; but instead they’re from cities in middle of America.

To get a taste, we’ve reprinted a copy of Cleveland City Council resolution 1432-2000 below, passed by council on August 7th and signed into law by the Mayor on the 17th.
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RESOLUTION NO. 1432-2000

An Emergency Resolution Urging the federal government to require labeling of genetically manipulated foods and further urging a moratorium on the production of such foods until acceptable testing systems are in place.

By: Council member Brady

WHEREAS, genetically engineered foods have not yet been proven safe and are not tested by any federal agency; and

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration requires only that companies producing such genetically engineered foods state, on the "honor system", that such foods are safe with no further testing required; and

WHEREAS, a class action lawsuit has been brought against the Food and Drug Administration to prevent it from continuing to rush such untested foods on the market;

WHEREAS, numerous bioengineers and scientists have stated that the technology of genetically engineered foods is clearly different from traditional methods and could lead to a host of undesirable health and environmental problems; and

WHEREAS, such technology further has potential negative effects in genetic cross-pollination of beneficial plants, insects and other fragile ecosystems;

WHEREAS, this resolution constitutes an emergency measure for the immediate preservation of public peace, property, health or safety in that it is essential that the public know and understand how the foods it purchases are being produced and the possible health and environmental risks of such production, now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND:

Section 1. That this Council urges the federal government to require labeling of genetically manipulated foods and further urges a moratorium on the production of such genetically manipulated foods until acceptable testing systems are in place.

Section 2. That this resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and, provided it receives the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to Council, it shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its adoption and approval by the Mayor; otherwise it shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.