Protest Against Australia's Use of GM Feed - AUSTRALIA - Environmentalists in five Australian states have on December 6 targeted the country's largest poultry producer, Ingham Enterprises, in a campaign against the use of genetically modified (GM) feed.

Campaigners wearing giant chicken suits called for consumer support at shopping centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Launceston, Greenpeace campaigner Tina Meckel said in Sydney.

Ms Meckel said activists wanted to alert the wider community to the use of GM feed.

"A lot of people now are thinking about buying chicken and turkey (for Christmas) that was fed GM soy," she said.

"Most people don't know about it because those products don't have to be labelled."

Campaigners asked shoppers to sign giant Christmas cards, to be delivered to poultry producer Ingham Enterprises, and stating: "All I want for Christmas is a GM-free chicken."

Ingham Enterprises could not be contacted on Saturday but has said previously that the use of GM ingredients did not compromise the GM-free status of its chicken products.

In a statement in October, the company said: "Animals that eat feed with a component of GM soymeal are no different to alternative animals that may have been fed a low-GM or GM-free diet.

"There is no GM DNA evident in the animal tissues. There is no scientific evidence to support the Greenpeace statements."

Source: eFeedLink - 8th November 2003