Monday  31st August 1998					EMBARGO until 00.01 a.m. Thursday 3rd September 1998

PRESS RELEASE - ADVANCE NOTICE

Largest open action to pull-up genetically engineered 
crops on Sunday 20th September 1998  
photo-opportunity 

On Sunday 20th September 1998, more than a hundred people are expected to participate in an open and accountable 
action called ‘genetiX harvest’ to uproot genetically engineered (GE) plants in the Cambridgeshire area. The genetiX 
harvest will be the fourth action in the genetiX snowball campaign and a celebration of harvest festival[1]. There will be 
a press conference/briefing on the morning of the action, Sunday 20th September 1998, in Cambridge.  More details to 
follow[2].

GenetiX harvest has been publicised nationally. Participants in the action will arrive on Saturday 19th for a day of training and 
preparation. People will form into working groups of between 10 and 15 people, known as affinity groups. Some groups may 
arrive already formed. Members of each group will take on various roles including ‘decontaminators’ - who actually pull up 
the plants and support roles including police liaison, media liaison, action observer, etc. Training will include a legal briefing 
and nonviolence training.  The affinity groups will be working autonomously and will make their own banners, transport 
arrangements, etc. As in all genetiX snowball actions participants will sign a pledge of nonviolence and write a statement of 
their reasons for undertaking the action. Copies will be left at the test field site.

Cambridgeshire has the largest number of ‘test sites’ in the country with over 44 recorded on the genetically modified 
organisms public register.  Genetically engineered variants of potatoes, sugar beet and other crops are known to be growing in 
the area.  Farmers hosting test field sites in Cambridgeshire have been contacted by letter to inform them of the campaign, 
reassure them, and inviting them to join. The test field sites are rented by biotechnology companies.  It is hoped that the 
companies and/or the farmers will engage in dialogue and voluntarily remove the crops.  The police are also to be informed as 
to the peaceful nature of the action.

As an act of ‘civil responsibility’, as opposed to ‘civil disobedience’ the genetiX snowball action expresses participants 
conviction that the GE crops are liable to cause damage to other crops, through cross pollination or gene transfer and therefore 
people have an obligation to pull them up.  Participants are willing to risk arrest and justify their actions in a court of law.  The 
campaign puts the emphasis on involving many people to ensure the  genetiX snowball is genuinely participatory and 
democratic.  The GE plants will be placed in clearly labelled and sealed bags for disposal by the authorities.  Participants will 
wear protective clothing and take safety measures to ensure genetic pollution will not spread from the site.

GenetiX snowball is calling for a five year moratorium on the release of GE crops into the environment pending further 
research and public consultation. The government’s own statutory bodies have been calling for a similar moratorium.

ENDS
Contact (Media Liaison):  Andrew Wood 0973 953 446 or page 07654 247 502

Editors notes 
[1] For details of the three actions contact Andrew Wood, Media Liason for the relevant release: ‘First arrests in Britain for 
pulling up genetically engineered crops’ (Model Farm, Oxfordshire, 6th July 1998), ‘Farmer rejects Genetically Engineered 
crops’ (Manor Farm, Oxfordshire, 20th July 1998), ‘Local residents arrested for taking direct action to uproot Genetically 
Engineered crops’ (Sharpes International Seeds Breeding Station, Boothby Graffoe (Lincolnshire),18th August 1998).
[2] There will be a second press release regarding genetiX harvest on 9th September 1998 and a final release on 16th 
September 1998.
Picture Editor notes
Stills and video footage (on DVC format) are available for all the above releases.  Material provided by nationally published or 
broadcast freelancers.  Several freelance photographers and video operators will be attending the genetiX harvest.  Contact 
Andrew Wood, Media Liaison for more details.
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