Tuesday 28th July 1998 Immediate release PRESS RELEASE Monsanto to silence genetic protesters with unlimited damages claim? photo-opportunity The preliminary hearing of a claim for unlimited damages against five genetics campaigners by Monsanto, the £20 billion US biotechnology company, will take place on Thursday 30th July 1998 at the High Court, London [1]. The campaigners, all women, openly dug up fewer than 200 genetically engineered plants from a Monsanto demonstration site at Model Farm, Oxfordshire on July 4th 1998 [2]. One of the women removed a single plant yet still faces a claim for unlimited damages. The women will represent themselves. Monsanto was granted injunctions against the five women by High Court Judge, Mr Justice Jowitt, on 16 July 1998. At the hearing on 30th July the court will consider whether to renew these injunctions. The injunctions prohibit the women from uprooting Monsanto plants or crops at their seventy test field sites through out Britain[3]. The injunctions also prohibit the women from instructing or encouraging any other person to do the same act. In support of their injunction application Monsanto presented evidence to the judge including exhibits of media clippings, campaign materials and investigations by private detectives. Commentators have compared the increasing concern at Genetically Engineered (GE) crops to the start of the anti-roads movement. The use of injunctions and other so called SLAPP’s (Strategic Lawsuits to Prevent Public Participation) [4] were first used by the Department of Transport at Twyford Down, one of the most controversial road schemes. However SLAPPs failed to prevent protest at that and subsequent road schemes including the Bath Eastern bypass, The M11 link road and the Newbury bypass. This is the first case of a SLAPP being used by a biotechnology company in this country. Monsanto’s strategy of using a SLAPP to silence dissenting voices while engaging in a £1 million advertising campaign[5] to promote acceptance of genetically engineered food and crops is typical of a corporate strategy designed to promote acceptance of a product which the public does not want [6]. In targeting those who launched genetiX snowball on July 4th Monsanto seek to prevent further actions by the women and halt the campaign. GenetiX snowball aims to inspire growing numbers of people to remove GE plants as an effective means of political expression. To date there have been more than 250 enquiries to the genetiX snowball office. Snowball participants pull up a maximum of 100 plants and are asked to find two other people to take part in subsequent actions. This ensures genetiX snowball is genuinely democratic and participatory. Participants sign a pledge of non-violence and write a statement of reasons before openly and accountably removing GE plants. Farmers, GE companies and the police have been informed of the peaceful nature of genetiX snowball. Melanie Jarman, one of the five women said, ‘This is a David and Goliath situation. Monsanto’s bullying tactics are being used to distract attention from their flawed science’ ENDS Contact (press liaison): Andrew Wood 0973 953446 or page 07654 247502 continued on page 2 Editors Notes [1]The hearing takes place not before 10.30 a.m. on Thursday 30th July 1998 at the Royal Courts of Justice[1], The Strand, London, case number 1998-M-No.851. Phone the High Court list office on 0171 936 6009 and quote the judge in chambers reference number 981129 to get further details on the time of the hearing. The women and supporters will distribute copies of ‘Food Biotechnology is a matter of opinion. At Nonsanto, opinion is something we buy’, a spoof of Monsanto’s adverts which constitute part of its £1 million advertising campaign. See copy attached. The women will be available for interview. [2]See release dated July 4th, ‘First arrests in Britain for pulling up Genetically Engineered crops’ from genetiX snowball. The five women arrested were Rowan Tilly (40, furniture-maker), Kathryn Tulip (39, solicitor and former toxicologist), Zoe Elford (27, genetics campaigner), Melanie Jarman (27, freelance journalist) and Jo Hamilton (25, music teacher). [3] There are over 300 ‘test field sites’ of GE crops in Britain of which 70 are for Monsanto. There are eleven other companies involved in trials in this country. [4] For further details of SLAPPs and so called ‘SLAPP backs’ contact Andy Rowell author of ‘Green Backlash - Global subversion of the Environment movement’ on: 01364 73752 or 01803 868 650. [5] Monsanto’s advertisements have been the subject of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for being dishonest and untruthful. For example on Saturday 6th June 1998, The Guardian (Weekend Supplement): 'We believe food should be grown with less pesticide' and Sunday 7th June; The Observer (Magazine Section): 'More biotechnology plants means less industrial ones' have been criticised by GeneWatch. Contact Sue Mayer of GeneWatch on 01298 871558 for details. [6] A recent MORI opinion poll for GeneWatch showed that 77% of the public believe there should be a ban on growing genetically engineered crops and food in Britain. See press release of Sunday 14 June 1998 from GeneWatch, the independent organisation which monitors developments in genetic engineering. The MORI poll shows that 77% want a ban on the growing of such crops until their impacts have been more fully assessed. A similar number (73%) are concerned that genetically engineered crops could interbreed with natural, wild plants and cause genetic pollution. The MORI poll also reveals that 61% of the public do not want to eat genetically modified foods (an 8% increase since a similar MORI poll was conducted in December 1996) and 58% of the public oppose the use of genetic engineering in the development of food (a 7% increase on 1996). Interviews were conducted with 950 adults aged 15+. Interviewed face-to-face, in-home, using CAPI (computer assisted personal interviewing) technology between 6-8 June 1998 in 84 sampling points throughout Great Britain. Data weighted to reflect the national profile. For further information, contact Sue Mayer on 01298 871558 (phone & fax) GeneWatch, 5 Post Office Row, Litton, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8QS Or Kay Wright/Michele Corrado at MORI on 0171 928 5955 Picture Editor notes [1]There will be a photo-opportunity with the five women at 8.45 a.m. on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice. They will hold cards with the words ‘77% SAY BAN GENETIC CROPS’. [2]Pictures of the first genetiX snowball of July 4th available. Photographs available from Nick Cobbing, respected freelance photographer whose work has been published in the Guardian, Observer and Time Out. Call Image Net on: 0541 522333 or Nick Cobbing: 0973 642 103. [3]Video footage of entire action, including the women actually digging, on DVC format available from Zoe Broughton, award winning film maker whose work has been broadcast nationally. Call 0961 181 576 Attached spoof Monsanto advertisement genetiX snowball A campaign of nonviolent civil responsibility One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS Tel: 0161 834 0295 Fax: 0161 834 8187 Press liaison: Andrew Wood 0973 953446 or page 07654 247502