SGR Position Statement Genetically Modified Foodstuffs 1999

The Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) oppose the commercial release of GM crops in the UK and the introduction of new GM foods to the market. They argue that potential impacts on consumer health and the environment have not been sufficiently investigated and that safety data from the United States is not applicable to the UK's environment. SGR advocates for a minimum five-year moratorium on new GM foods, mandatory labelling of GM ingredients, and a transparent investigation into the influence of international biotechnology companies on the food chain and the ethics of patenting gene lines from developing nations.

• SGR opposes the commercial release of GM crops in the British countryside and the release of crops for testing until comprehensive, transparent research proves they are safe for the European environment. They specifically argue that safety findings from the United States cannot be used to prove safety in the "more constricted countryside environment of the United Kingdom".
• The organization calls for a moratorium on new GM foods entering the marketplace for at least five years, or until a public and disinterested inquiry fully understands all potentially harmful effects on consumers.
• SGR demands that the Food Standards Agency, the Agriculture Minister, and the Minister for the Environment apply the Precautionary Principle, placing the burden of proof for safety on biotechnology organizations through government-supervised, long-term testing.
• The document highlights ethical and corporate concerns, calling for investigations into the role of international biotechnology firms in food production and the "acquisition and patenting of gene lines" from developing nations by companies in industrialised nations.
• If a moratorium on GM foods is lifted, SGR insists on legislation requiring honest and comprehensive labelling so consumers can distinguish GM products from non-GM products.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (1999). SGR Position Statement Genetically Modified Foodstuffs 1999. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sgr-position-statement-genetically-modified-foodstuffs-1999

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. SGR Position Statement Genetically Modified Foodstuffs 1999. 1999. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sgr-position-statement-genetically-modified-foodstuffs-1999.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=SGR Position Statement Genetically Modified Foodstuffs 1999 |date=June 1999 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sgr-position-statement-genetically-modified-foodstuffs-1999 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{scientistsforglobalresponsibility1999sgr, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{SGR Position Statement Genetically Modified Foodstuffs 1999}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {1999}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sgr-position-statement-genetically-modified-foodstuffs-1999}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }