The government wants to test public opinion on GM crops

Shropshire County Council is to decide on whether the county should be GM-free.

The move is part of a national debate on genetically modified food which will be launched simultaneously in London and Birmingham on Tuesday.

The government wants to test public opinion before moving forward with the commercialisation of GM crops.

Shropshire has been involved in GM crop trials for the last few years and the results of the trials are expected to be published later this month.

Speakers from the Soil Association, the Agriculture Biotechnology Council, Friends of the Earth and a Shropshire farmer who took part in the trials, will attend the first of two meetings at Shropshire County Council next week to discuss the issue.

The second meeting in July will discuss the public consultation exercise and a recommendation on whether the county should be GM-free will then be made.

If Shropshire decides to go GM free, it will join Warwickshire, Cornwall, South Gloucestershire and South Hams.