Government urged to resist calls for GM test site secrecy

Friends of the Earth is urging the Government to resist calls from the biotech industry to make the location of genetically modified (GM) crop trial sites secret after Minister of the Cabinet Office, Jack Cunningham revealed that the Government was considering such a move.

Pete Riley, Senior Food Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said: "The Government faces a crisis of confidence over its stance on GM food and crops. Allowing GM crops to be grown in secret is hardly likely to reassure the public on this issue. Keeping neighbouring farmers in the dark about GM crops grown nearby will prevent them from objecting to something that could potentially damage their crops and livelihoods."