Gerald Miles

Wales Farmer's Anti-GM Tractor Trek 

BBC News 7oct03

A west Wales farmer is spending a week travelling to London by tractor to campaign against genetically modified crops.

Gerald Miles left the village square in Mathry, Pembrokeshire, on Monday morning with the aim of getting to London in time for a protest march next Monday.

The 55-year-old organic farmer is hoping to raise awareness about the issue and is urging fellow farmers and members of the public to support him.

He is convinced no-one yet knows what impact GM will have on people's health or the environment

The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) member said: "I believe planting GM crops on a commercial scale is not a risk we should be taking especially as consumer demand for non-GM food is overwhelming.

"GM crops, whether planted commercially or as trials, will inevitably contaminate both non-GM and organic crops.

"If the government does go ahead with the commercialisation of GM it will be another nail in the farming coffin."

Public opinion

The FUW has been at the forefront of the campaign to make Wales a GM-free zone.

The union is part of an anti-GM alliance, which includes Friends of the Earth Cymru, GM-Free Wales and the Womens' Institute, lobbying against the commercial growing of GM crops.

FUW vice-president Brian Walters, of Carmarthen, said: "The government must listen to the views of consumers and abandon plans to press ahead with the commercial growing of GM crops.

"As farmers we are continually being lectured by politicians to produce food in a way that is approved of by the consumer.

"So I sincerely hope that the politicians will now listen to the clear views of the public and abandon any plans to launch the commercial growing of GM crops in this country."

Mr Walters claimed farmers were more in tune with public opinion than the government.

"Shoppers don't want to buy GM foods, supermarkets don't want to sell it and farmers don't want to grow it," he added.

Mr Miles will travel through Carmarthen, Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff and Abergavenny before heading for Birmingham. There he will meet fellow protesters, before driving back towards London, using minor roads.

He said: "For this to be a success, we need the help of farmers and sympathetic members of the public in spreading the word.

"They could also show support by joining me for part of the route if it passes their farm.

"Perhaps they could also collect signatures for our message of opposition to the government or even join us on the parade in London on 13 October."

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/3167304.stm 7oct03