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GM Food and Crops: What Next
steve, 01.09.2003 22:56
This briefing is an update on what has been happening on genetically
modified (GM) food and crops and what is coming up in the near future. This
autumn will see a number of key dates, including a report on the Government's
public debate, GM Nation, a report on the Farm Scale Evaluations and the next
steps in the GM Trade War between the US and Europe.
The decisions made over the next few months could have widespread
repercussions for our food, farming and environment. Chief amongst these will
whether the Government will allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the
UK. If they do, the first could be grown as early as spring 2004.
BACKGROUND
GM food first went on sale in the UK in 1996. There was little publicity and
no consultation. Public opposition against GM soon grew and the public
started to demand GM-free food. In September 1998, a new European law came
into force which obliged all food manufacturers and retailers (and
restaurants) to label their food if it contained GM maize and soya above a one
per cent threshold. Consumers would now be able to avoid GM food if they
chose. Within months, practically all the UK's leading supermarkets and food
manufacturers bowed to consumer pressure and started to source ingredients
that didn't come from GM crops. And in December 1999, Friends of the Earth
revealed that even Monsanto's staff canteen was effectively a GM-free zone.
GM CROPS
In response to public pressure the Government announced a four year programme
of GM farm-scale trials (or farm-scale evaluations), which started in 1999.
The Government also promised that commercial GM crop growing would not be
permitted until the trials were over. But these trials also faced criticism.
Friends of the Earth and others pointed to the threat they posed to neighbouring
crops and honey, and because they would only provide a very limited view of
the potential long-term environmental impacts of this new technology.
PUBLIC OPINION Public opposition to GM food and crops remains high. In
October 2002, an NOP survey revealed that 57 per cent did not want the
Government to allow GM crops to be commercially grown across the UK. The
previous month a poll for the Grocer found that 58 per cent would avoid
products containing GM ingredients. And in April 2003, a MORI poll showed
that 56 per cent opposed GM food, compared to a paltry one in seven (14 per
cent) who support it.
GM PUBLIC DEBATE AND GM CROP COMMERCIALISATION
Between June and July 2003 the Government held a public consultation, GM
Nation? (www.gmnation.org) to assess public attitudes towards GM food and
crops. The Government says it will take account of the debate (the report is
due in September) when making future policy decisions on GM issues,
particularly the commercialization of GM crops.
The debate was controversial even before it started. In July 2002, an unnamed
Government minister told journalists that the Government had already made up
its mind to commercialise GM crops, and that the debate would merely be
"a PR exercise".
The debate was also criticised by a coalition of environment and consumer
organisations for its rushed timetable, lack of clarity, inadequate funding
and poor publicity. Less than two weeks into the GM debate, Environment
Minister Michael Meacher was sacked, probably because of his cautious
approach to the GM issue. Despite the concerns and squeezed timetable, at
least 40,000 people completed GM Nation? Response forms demonstrating the
issue of GM crops and food remains a prime concern of the public.
Although the debate's report won't be published until September, Professor
Malcolm Grant, the chairman of the GM Nation?, said that it shows that people
"are generally sceptical about the perceived benefits of genetically
modified crops". See:
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/scepticism_as_gm_debate_en.html
Two additional strands of the GM debate, a review of scientific information
and a cost/benefit analysis have now been published -neither of which
provides grounds for GM crops to be given an immediate go-ahead.
GM ECONOMICS REPORT
A report on the economics of GM crops by the Number 10 Strategy Unit
concluded that the public's refusal to eat GM food means that there is little
economic value in the current generation of GM crops, and that continuing
public opposition would also affect their long-term future. See:
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/government_report_on_econo.html
.
GM SCIENCE REPORT
A GM science review, led by Professor David King (the Government's Chief
Scientific Adviser), has also been published. Despite pro-GM spin, far from
giving GM crops the safety green light, the review raised serious questions
about significant gaps and uncertainties in our scientific knowledge on the potential
impacts GM food and crops on our health and the environment. See:
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/uncertainty_over_gm_safety.html
GM-FREE BRITAIN
Friends of the Earth launched its GM free Britain campaign in October 2002.
The campaign is aimed at local authorities and regional assemblies and urges
them to take steps to go GM-free because of the potential impacts on health,
the environment and the livelihoods of farmers and bee-keepers. These steps
could include stopping tenant farmers growing GM crops, and banning GM food
from local food services such as school meals and residential homes. Some
authorities have also pledged to write to the Government and Brussels
applying, under new European laws, for their areas to be excluded from
growing certain GM crops.
The number of authorities that are taking GM action is growing by the week.
Those that have joined the campaign include the Welsh National Assembly,
Devon, Dorset, Lancashire, Cornwall, Warwickshire, South Gloucestershire,
Shropshire, Cumbria, Somerset and the Lake District National Park. More
authorities are expected to take similar decisions. See:
www.gmfreebritain.com
This October, individuals from around the country will be setting out on a
pilgrimage for a GM-free Britain, which will culminate in an event in London
on Monday 13th October. For more information see www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/press_for_change/tractor_and_trolley/
GM CROP TRIALS/ FARM SCALE EVALUATIONS
The farm-scale trials started in 1999. Their focus was extremely narrow.
Their remit was "to study the effect, if any, that the management practices
associated with Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerant (GMHT) crops might
have on farmland wildlife, when compared with weed control used with non-GM
crops." The trials didn't look at other important issues such as whether
GM pollen would pollute neighbouring crops or the environment.
The crop trials provoked considerable criticism, not least because the trials
themselves threatened neighbouring crops, honey and the environment. They
have also proved deeply unpopular with local communities - exacerbated by the
lack of community consultation before the crops were planted. Some protested
directly to farmers taking part in the trials, others organised parish
referendums on the issue. This pressure directly led to a number of farmers
pulling out of the trials.
Crop trials also became the focus of direct action. Some were secretly
destroyed at night, while other campaigners openly trashed GM crops, allowing
themselves to be arrested so that they could justify their actions in court,
often successfully.
In July this year, the Government warned farmers who grew GM oil seed rape as
part of the FSEs not to grow conventional rape in the same fields this
autumn. This follows research showing volunteer plants from the GM crop could
contaminate a following non-GM crop at a level of 5%. This means that farmers
may find their crop contained illegal levels of GM oilseed rape not licensed
for sale in the EU. Legislation allows up to 0.5% contamination by unapproved
varieties for a limited three year period. If GM farmers did try and grow
conventional oil seed rape they might therefore produce a crop 10 times over
the legally permitted level for GM oil seed rape.
The last round of Farm Scale Evaluations have been harvested, and a report on
them is due to be sent to the Government in October. A critique of the FSE
methodology is available from Friends of the Earth.
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/science_smokescreen.pdf
GM LABELLING
The European Union has passed new laws that will strengthen GM labelling
regulations. The laws will come into force later this year. Currently food
containing an ingredient with at least one per cent of GM DNA must be
labelled. The new laws will
* strengthen the legislation by reducing the GM threshold (to 0.9%). Major
food manufacturers and retailers currently work to 0.1%;
* increase the scope of the legislation to include derivatives from GM crops
(such as oils which don't contain DNA). This will be done through a
comprehensive traceability regime;. extend labelling to include animal feed.
The UK Government and Food Standards Agency, however, were not so
enthusiastic and lobbied behind the scenes against some of the proposals.
CO-EXISTENCE
Co-existence is the term being used to describe the growing of GM and non-GM
crops together or in close proximity. If GM crops are grown in the UK it will
have almost certainly lead to GM pollution escaping, which could have a major
impacts on our food, farming and environment.
It has been unclear what measures to ensure co-existence will be taken on
either a UK or EU level as it is an issue that will not be easy to resolve.
Although MEPs recently backed measures that would allow member states to try
and prevent GM contamination. Once again this was opposed by the UK
Government.
Co-existence legislation must ensure that genetic contamination of food and
feed supplies is prevented, the rights of conventional and organic farmers to
grow GM-free produce are protected, GM producers and operators are
financially liable for contamination and the costs of coexistence fall on GM
producers and operators.
GM LIABILITY
Currently there is no legislation to require biotech companies to pay for
damage caused by their crops. This includes damage to the environment and
compensation to farmers whose crops may be contaminated causing them
financial loss.
In the absence of a liability regime it will be the victims who will pay for
any harm caused by GMOs, while the biotechnology companies profit from their
products and offload the risks and costs of clean-up on to others.
There is an Environmental Liability Directive being debated in Europe, which
covers environmental damage across a number of areas, not just GMOs. But the
Directive is very weak and in its current form would not provide adequate
cover for environmental damage from GM. One of the reasons is that it only
extends to 'protected areas', a relatively small area of EU land which
excludes most farmland where GMOs will be grown.
The Directive also fails to cover economic damage such as compensation
measures for farmers whose crops are contaminated.
In the UK, a report is expected shortly from the AEBC, the Government's GM
advisors on coexistence and liability. This will put forward options for
addressing these issues in the UK.
Currently there is no insurance company that will provide insurance cover for
farmers to grow GM crops. Even NFU Mutual refuses stating that the risk is
unquantifiable and that farmers should ensure that the biotech industry is
liable.
TRADE WAR: THE US AND THE WTO
On 13 May the United States administration launched what could turn out to be
a trade war over GM food. The US (and a number of other countries) has
brought a case against Europe in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over
"its illegal five-year moratorium on approving agricultural biotech
products".
The EU has not granted any new GM food and crop licenses for five years.
Europeans are concerned about the threat that GM crops pose to food, farming
and the environment. There are also fears about the long-term health impacts
from eating GM food. Opinion polls show that 70% of the European public don't
want GM food and 94% want to be able to choose whether or not they eat it
(Eurobarometer 2001).
The move could bring the full force of WTO sanctions to bear in order to
force GM food into European markets regardless of the wishes of European
consumers. Friends of the Earth is warning the move is the latest in a series
of attempts by the US to block other countries' decisions to protect their
environment, human health and social standards.
The EU has vowed to fight the case, which could be a long, drawn out process.
The next WTO meeting takes place on 29 August where they are likely to
announce they will set up a panel to hear the dispute.
The GM issue is also likely to be a major source of friction between
negotiating blocs at the WTO ministerial in Cancun (September). Agriculture
talks have already run into difficulties over US and EU subsidies.
Media contact:
Clare Oxborrow (GM food) 020 7566 1716
Pete Riley (GM food) 0113 389 9955
Eve Mitchell (GM trade dispute) 020 7566 1681
Press Office 020 7566 1649
--
Helen Burley
Media Officer
Tel: 020 7566 1702
Press office: 020 7566 1649
Mobile: 07778 069930
Email: helenby@foe.co.uk
Attached comment from Pat: from sheffield indymedia
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