Biowatch South Africa

Biowatch South Africa is a national non-governmental organisation dedicated to publicising, monitoring and researching issues of biological diversity, genetic engineering and sustainable livelihoods.

DEFRA Genetic Modification

Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) is responsible for the control of the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and for national (United Kingdom), EU and international policy on the environmental safety of GMOs.

GM Free Britain

A friends of the Earth campaign that works to spur local authorities around the country.code to declare themselves GM-free. The rationale being that the more self-declared GM-free areas there are in the UK, the harder it will be for the Government to introduce commercial growing of GM crops. The local GM-Free Britain campaign involves: - Directly engaging with local councils - Getting local business and organisations on side - Encouraging local people to show support - Generating local media coverage

GM Watch

GM Watch developed out of the Norfolk Genetic Information Network - a news and research service founded in Norfolk, UK in the spring of 1998 to report on the growing concerns about genetic engineering, also known as genetic modification. GM Watch has developed a particular focus on the use of hype, propaganda and spin to promote this technology, and on exposing the role played by corporate-friendly scientists, industry front groups, PR companies, lobbyists, and political groups.

Grain

GRAIN is an international non-governmental organisation which promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity based on people's control over genetic resources and local knowledge.

GRAIN was established at the beginning of the 1990s to launch a decade of popular action against one of the most pervasive threats to world food security: genetic erosion. The loss of biological diversity, undermines the very sense of "sustainable development" as it destroys options for the future and robs people of a key resource base for survival. Genetic erosion means more than just the loss of genetic diversity. In essence it is an erosion of options for development. Central to our approach is the conviction that the conservation and use of genetic resources is too important to leave to scientists, governments and industry alone. Farmers and community organisations have nurtured genetic diversity for millennia, and continue to do so. Any effort in this field should take their experience as a starting point.

Now entering its 15th year of work, GRAIN has witnessed and contributed to an enormous and ever-growing momentum of international concern, debate and action to redress the imbalances in the management and control of biodiversity. What started as a small and Euro-centred outfit in the early 1990s, has now grown into a dynamic and mature organisation with fourteen staff in ten countries and spread across 5 continents, carrying out a broad and challenging programme on local and global management of genetic diversity and the impacts of biotechnology on world agriculture, particularly in developing countries.

This evolution would not have been possible without permanent efforts to strengthen the growing network of partner groups in every continent of the world. The foundations of our work lie in the daily networking, communications and information activities of our small organisation. It is on this basis that we able to strengthen our capacities and those of our many partners the world over in mobilising popular concern and constructive action for the safeguarding of the world's genetic diversity.

Network of Concerned Farmers

The network of concerned farmers is a loose network of farmers who are concerned about the economic, environmental and social impacts of Genetic Engineering. The network aims to protect the rights of farmers to grow non GE crops in Australia.

Policy Comparison New Zealand

Policy.net.nz is an independent resource that compares New Zealand policy standpoints from all political parties. The intention is to link to original policy material so that the public can form their own informed opinions.

The FSA GM Debate

The Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom has been supporting a range of innovative events and activities to independently assess people's views of genetically modified food. This independent assessment of consumer opinion on the acceptability of GM food and how this relates to consumer choice is the Agency's contribution to the Government's public debate on GM. At the 8 May open meeting of the FSA Board, members reviewed and evaluated the range of information and views on GM food collated by the Agency. Following this discussion, the Agency will submit its views to Government.

The GM Economic Debate

The Strategy Unit study is the third strand of the GM dialogue and, along with the science review, will feed into the public debate. The Strategy Unit study will consider a full range of possible scenarios for the future development of GM crops in the United Kingdom, including a "no GM" scenario. Hence the study will look at crops currently in trial and also at those in development that could be available within a ten-year timeframe. It is currently envisaged that the final report will be published in June 2003 as a contribution to the public debate, with comments invited.

The GM Public Debate

The GM public debate is one strand of the national GM dialogue in the United Kingdom. The recommendation that there should be a national debate stems from the report Crops on Trial published by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) in September 2001. Government accepted the AEBC's advice. Announcing the debate, Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett said: "The Government wants a genuinely open and balanced discussion on GM. There is clearly a wide range of views on this issue and we want to ensure all voices are heard."

The GM Science Debate

The second strand of the United Kingdom's GM debate is the expert Science Review Panel, chaired by Professor Sir David King. It has two principal functions: to monitor the progress and credibility of the Science Review and, towards the end of the review, summarise the state of scientific knowledge, consensus and areas of uncertainty on each key issue. The panel will operate in an open and transparent way; it will meet in public. The draft report inviting comments, as well as the final summary report, will be placed on this website. The report will be for Government, for the Scientific Community, and for the interested public, and will be written with public accessibility in mind.

The True Food Guide

In the True Food Guide for Australia, foods are listed in common categories and displayed in coloured columns according to the genetically modified status of the companies that produce them. In each section, the brand of the food is listed, followed by the company name where relevant. The True food Guide is now online and members can create a shopping list that is free from GM products.