PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday June 16 1999

Genetically modified sugar beet uprooted at 
agricultural trade show

At 11.00 a.m. today, Wednesday 16th June 1999, four people from 
Cereals '99 snowball peacefully uprooted approximately 400 
genetically modified (GM) sugarbeet plants at the opening day of 
Cereals '99 held at Vine Farm, Wendy in Cambridgeshire.  The GM 
sugar beet, were planted last year and formed part of an exhibit 
on the Monsanto trade stand.  Farmers and Monsanto staffed looked 
on as the uprooted plants were put in bags for disposal as a 
biohazard.  Security staff arrived after about twenty minutes but 
there were no arrests and the activists were escorted off the 
site. 

The four people uprooting the GM plants (the decontaminators) 
were: Jill Bee, an art teacher who removed 10 GM plants; Martin 
Shaw, a campaigner, Alex Potts a degree student and Rod Melia who 
is seeking work as a gardener, removed the remainder of the GM 
plants. The decontaminators ages range from 21 to 52 years. The 
GM sugar beet were about the size of small turnips. A further 
four people distributed leaflets and talked with onlookers as the 
action was taking place. Those uprooting plants wore protective 
suits which were also bagged up to prevent GM material being 
spread from the site.

The GM sugar beet was grown purely for demonstration purposes on 
a plot measuring about five by twenty metres. The sugar beet had 
been genetically engineered to tolerate application of Monsanto's 
broad spectrum herbicide 'Round-up' (glyphosphate).

After the action the decontaminators remained at the site to take 
responsibility for their actions and explain to the show's 
attendees, mostly farmers and the Monsanto staff the reasons for 
their actions.

Martin Shaw one of decontaminators in the action said
"While Monsanto demonstrate their genetically modified plants, we 
demonstrated responsible action by removing the plants for 
disposal as a bio-hazard"

contact: Martin Shaw  07930 529 024
ENDS

Editors Notes
Freelance reporter Simon Bebbington was present during the 
action. Telephone: 0378 307 636.  Freelance photographer Rob Todd 
has photographs of the action. Telephone: 07977 275 563.