British campaigners opposed to genetically-modified foods have congratulated the Local Government Association's recommendation that councils place a five-year moratorium on so-called "Frankenstein foods".
The Five-Year Freeze - whose members include Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and ActionAid - said the LGA decision would give children and those who receive meals on wheels or live in care homes the right to campaign choose a GM-free diet.
Campaign co-ordinator Ms Sandra Bell said: "It is difficult for children who eat school dinners and elderly people who rely on meals provided by councils to avoid genetically-engineered foods. By adopting a five-year freeze policy local authorities are giving these people the right to a GM-free diet."
The umbrella group, which was launched only last week, has added six more organisations to its membership, which now totals 36. They include Compassion in World Farming, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the Pesticides Trust.
Dr Doug Parr, campaign director for Greenpeace, welcomed the decision: "This is the first step to a ban on GM food and crops. Environmental groups, with the help of the public and local authorities, can make this happen.
"It is clear the public would prefer organic rather than GM food. It is perhaps not surprising that if the vast majority of adults don't want to eat it, parents don't want their children eating it either.
"GM food is unnecessary and unwanted."
Meanwhile, a British court had been told that environmental activists picked the wrong field when they staged a protest against genetically-modified crops at Cransley Farm, Fowlis, near Dundee. There were no GM crops growing in the field targeted by activists opposed to the controversial process, Forfar Sheriff Court was told.
However, trials had been conducted using genetically modified oilseed rape in both 1996-97 in other fields on the farm.
Four people were fined for maliciously damaging part of an oilseed rape crop and trespassing in the field where it was grown.
The court was told each defendant was a member of Fife Earth First, a direct action environmental group.