COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING - 18 SEPTEMBER 2003

NOTICE OF MOTION

2. KEEPING HAMPSHIRE GM FREE

Councillor House to move:-

"This Council recognises:

· that genetic modification of crop plans is a relatively new branch of science and technology;


· that there is still scientific debate about the safety of GM crops; and


· that the commercial growing of GM crops presents legal, economic, social and ethical problems that have not yet been properly addressed.

This Council, therefore, reaffirms its precautionary approach:


· which prevents the use of any detachable amounts of GM ingredients in County Council meals; and


· which includes a clause in all new farm tenancy agreements stipulating that GMOs are not used on County Farms.


This Council declares that, so far as possible, the County Council will work to ensure that Hampshire is kept free of GM crops and feed, that no GM crops are grown on land over which it has control, and asserts a GM-free policy for all goods and services for which the Council is responsible.

This Council also commits to considering each prospective GMO Marketing Consent and, where appropriate, writing to both the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and to the European Commission, requesting that a condition under Article 19 (3) (c) be added to such Marketing Consent so as to exempt Hampshire from the scope of such consent."