Soil Association welcomes new ministerial appointments

The Soil Association has welcomed the appointment of Elliot Morley as environment minister, who will have responsibility for GM, and Ben Bradshaw whose portfolio includes organic farming.

Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association said: "The Soil Association has worked with Mr Morley for a number of years. He showed real leadership whilst developing last year's Organic Action Plan, which introduced new, on-going payments to organic farmers and encouraged the development of the UK organic market.

"We urge him to protect the interests of people who eat organic food and organic farmers from the threat which GM crops clearly pose. The Soil Association will be looking to Mr Morley to implement the promise made by a number of his predecessors to ensure that organic farming in this country can continue without GM contamination.

"Michael Meacher and Elliot Morley have paved the way for Ben Bradshaw to give further support to organic food and farming organic in the UK. We look forward to working with him."