THE Dig It Up! campaign calls upon the Government to instruct - rather than merely advise - farmers to destroy GM-contaminated oilseed rape crops before they flower, with a clear promise of full compensation to those farmers.

The Government itself is responsible for this crisis in so far as it kept its knowledge of the contaminated seeds secret for four weeks, allowing them to be planted. Legal action to secure compensation from Advanta or Monsanto could take months, or even years. So it is imperative that the Government assures farmers that they will be paid this summer; it can try to recoup this money from the seed companies later. We also call upon the Government to halt the current field trials of GM oilseed rape and to have the existing plantings removed and destroyed. The farmers are innocent parties in this scandal and they should not suffer as a result. This crisis provides an excellent opportunity for farmers to regain public trust and support by rejecting GM technology.

Full details of the Dig It Up! campaign can be found on our website at www.dig-it-up.uk.net

Martin Haggerty,

Dig It Up! Campaign,

Palace Hill, Scarborough.