Genetic modification

The genetic modification of agriculture has given rise to most protest and direct action.  The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops and their use in everyday foods have led to concerns about the environmental pollution and the threat to local biodiversity, food safety, consumer rights and choices, farmers' rights and the threat to their traditional method of planting crops from saved seeds, food security for the developing world, and the increasing dominance of multinational corporations. This will be an area of focus in 2009.

Our policy statement on genetic modification

We will challenge businesses involved in the application of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) which:

• damage the environment, e.g. through the uncontrolled release of GMOs;
• compromise human health, e.g. through a failure to account for significant risks.