THE not guilty verdict on protesters who thrashed a field of genetically modified maize in East Anglia has been branded as "perverse" by the NFU.

A jury at Norwich crown court acquitted 28 anti-GM protestors of charges of criminal damage last week.

NFU president Ben Gill said the decision amounted to "declaring open season on British farmland" - "This gives the green light to wanton vandalism and trespass," he said and promised he would be writing to Home Secretary Jack Straw on the matter ahead of a scheduled meeting to discuss other issues.