Logo help for Beet growers

SUGAR-BEET growers are being offered first-come-firstserved £100 vouchers to help get the Little Red Tractor logo on to sugar packs (Arable Apr 25).

The £10,000 incentive to encourage take up of farm assurance comes from Massey Ferguson and Agricredit.

"The vouchers are designed to ease the cost of certification for new assurance scheme entrants," says NFU sugar beet

beforehand that if the public say they don't want GM crops, the government will not give them the commercial go-ahead.

"Without that guarantee, there seems little point in debating the issue."

Mr Meacher agreed that it was "very unfortunate" that the relevant EU legislation took such a hard line, but pledged that the government would not disregard public opinion.

"Democracy should always proceed on the basis of maximum public consent."

Meanwhile, the NFU has announced it would be holding its own series of meetings as part of the GM debate.

"It is vital that the voices from the farming community are heard," said NFU vice-president Michael Paske.

"If GM crops are grown commercially, the co-existence of GM and non-GM production systems is a crucial issue for all farmers regardless of their current production method."

The developments followed a recent legal challenge the USA and other countries have made to

chairman, Mike Blacker.

Many growers are already members of a scheme and the additional sugar beet module will be certified at no extra cost in its pilot year.

"We look forward to helping more farmers achieve the farm assured standard," says MF UK and Ireland sales director, David Sleuth.

To apply call British Sugar

help line 0870-2402314.