• The ethical businesses supporting our campaign

People up and down the country have questions, concerns even doubts about GMOs, but precious little space to air those thoughts.

The majority opinion, reflected in poll after poll, is that we don’t want GMOs in this country. But this opinion is not reflected government policy or in the media, which has become little more than a mouthpiece for GM propaganda.

That’s where our campaign comes in and while we expected that average citizens would join in, an unexpected bonus has been the number of ethical businesses in the UK who have also shown an interest in supporting this unique visual petition.

Space to say what’s important

GM Free Me is an initiative of the campaign Beyond GM, and according to director, Pat Thomas:

“We felt we needed to provide a space where people could air their views and, equally importantly, one that would show that those of us who have concerns about GMOs in no way represent the caricature of the hair-shirt wearing hippie or the fringe loner. The people who have added their photos to the site could be your mum or your boyfriend or your daughter or the newsagent or the local taxi driver or someone you sat next to on a train. And in fact they are all of these people. And what they have to say is important.”

She adds that while she appreciates good science and she appreciates the necessity of political process, people power is still where she places her faith.

The GM issue, she says, is not just a ‘science issue’. “It is a social, political, economic ethical and moral issue and it is the refusal to see the GM debate in its totality that has led to the current stagnation of the debate which she says has become a “rather boring battle of the papers”. What can break that stagnation, she believes, is bringing the public back into the debate.

“The strength of public feeling against GM food has kept Britain free of GM crops for nearly two decades. But now our government is trying to aggressively drive through a pro-GM agenda that ignores the science on GMOs, as well as the strong public resistance to GM food and farming.”

Committed companies

In addition to seeking photos and selfies from members of the public, the campaign has also sought support from green and ethical businesses whose employees and customers have an interest in food, farming and sustainability. Visits to these companies’ premises and shops have started face to face conversations, a human touch that Thomas says is many times more valuable than doing things solely by email or social media.

The list is impressive and includes names like Neal’s Yard Remedies, Viridian Nutrition, Pukka Herbs, Doves Farm, Marigold Health Foods, Alara Wholefoods, Rebel Kitchen and Ecotricity.

These companies, who have built businesses on the promise of GM-free products, have a lot to say on the subject.

“Because GM Free Me is spreading awareness about the truths behind GM, Pukka wants to support it in its efforts to give a voice to people who want to live from food that is grown as nature intended.” says Sebastian Pole, Managing Director of Pukka Herbs.

Peter Kindersley owner of Neal’s Yard Remedies says “As a British company which grows many organic ingredients ourselves, the threat of GM crops in the UK is a truly scary one. As we’ve seen in the US, contamination of organic, and even conventional farms is impossible to avoid, meaning our promise to only offer our customers products containing the purest, organic ingredients will be severely compromised. Just as importantly, it also takes away the consumer’s choice about what they put on their skin, as well as put in their body.”

Viridian staff get behind the GM Free Me message (and some creative box stacking!)

According to Cheryl Thallon, Founder and Managing Director of Viridian Nutrition: “From a natural products perspective, our customers really care about this. Customers feel possibly more strongly about this than even businesses. If your customers care about a wide range of ethical issues, then you better care too if you want to remain in business! From a purely business perspective it makes sense.

Tamara Arbib of Rebel Kitchen says: “There aren’t many places where people who have real concerns about GMOs can express those views. We supported GM Free Me because it’s a really unique concept and because we want to encourage more people like ourselves, who care about nutrition and health, to find their voices and speak up on this important topic.”

While Michael Marriage, founder and owner of Dove’s Farm says: “Doves Farm is supporting GM Free Me because it is vital that there should remain a choice to have GM Free food, especially as larger and more serious problems emerge from the growing and consumption of GM crops. In addition as more information is known about the illusory benefits of GM crops and the dangers to the natural environment it is essential that organic food can remain uncontaminated and hence a safe haven; producing food for our citizens.”

Watch this space

Thomas expects more ethical businesses to be attracted to the campaign as it progresses.

“Our politicians may have misjudged the mood of the British public, but natural, organic and ethical businesses have not.” she says. “The businesses which have begun to back the campaign are all keen to walk the talk in terms of their green credentials and in terms of listening to what their customers want. Far better than anyone in government – at either UK or EU level. These businesses have got their ear to the ground and they are responding to the public in a way that our politicians are too cowardly to do.”

GM Free Me also has a number of high profile/celebrity supporters including fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, organic entrepreneur Jo Wood, Chefs Valentine Warner and the Hemsley Sisters (Jasmine & Melissa), photographer Mary McCartney, gardener Alys Fowler, dancer Anwar Russell, musician Don Letts, and MPs Zac Goldsmith and Caroline Lucas.