GM crops to be allowed into Britain under controversial EU plans

[tabatha]

Genetically modified crops will be allowed to enter the UK food chain without the need for regulatory clearance for the first time under controversial plans expected to be approved this week.

The Observer understands that the UK intends to back EU plans permitting the importing of animal feed containing traces of unauthorised GM crops in a move that has alarmed environmental groups.

Importing animal feed containing GM feed must at present be authorised by European regulators. But a vote on Tuesday in favour of the scheme put forward by the EU's standing committee on the food chain and animal health would overturn the EU's "zero tolerance" policy towards the import of unauthorised GM crops.

The move would mark a significant victory for the GM lobby, which has pushed for a relaxation of the blanket ban for years.Environmental groups claim the GM industry wants to use the presence of unauthorised organisms in animal feed as part of a wider strategy to promote its technology.

"The GM industry is pushing this proposal so it can wedge its foot firmly in the door and open up the British and European markets to food no one wants to eat," said Helen Wallace, director of GeneWatch UK, which campaigns against GM food. "Its long-term aim is to contaminate the food chain to such an extent that GM-free food will disappear."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/06/genetically-modified-crops-uk

(I am so sick of this)

[saras]

1. What do you expect?

They can't get it through WITH testing, because the more you test the stuff, the worse it looks.

So they really have no choice but to force it on people.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. In what way is the importation of food connected with resistance to herbicides?

Are they saying that the animal feed still pollinates growing crops?

[tabatha]

3. nope, not at all --- how could that possibly be?

"The GM industry is pushing this proposal so it can wedge its foot firmly in the door and open up the British and European markets to food no one wants to eat," said Helen Wallace, director of GeneWatch UK, which campaigns against GM food. "Its long-term aim is to contaminate the food chain to such an extent that GM-free food will disappear."

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. No answer to my question yet, then?

:shrug:

Has someone found that the animals don't eat this food that Wallace says "no one wants to eat"? Since we're talking about animal feed, her point would be relevant if the animals turn their noses up at this food that may have some GM plants in. Is there a study showing that animals refuse to eat GM food?

[Nihil]

5. Without trying to speak for Tabatha ...

I think the concern (certainly one of *my* concerns) is the "backdoor" or
"stealth" insertion of GM crops into the UK food chain.

The proposal behind this thread is specifically to get currently banned
GM crops into the UK food chain by dodging around the laws and thus bypassing
the regulatory system that has (thus far) kept GM organisms out of it.

W.r.t. your (strawman?) question ...
> Has someone found that the animals don't eat this food that Wallace says
> "no one wants to eat"?

... the answer is "Yes": The animals that don't eat this food can currently
choose not to do so in the supermarket (or wherever) as they can rely on the
lawful labelling of food products according to the current regulations.

Allowing GM animal feed into the system without requiring (by strictly applied
& monitored law) that the resulting animal products are explicitly labelled as
"containing GM products" (not going to happen due to the loss in market share)
would be a betrayal of the UK farmers who have taken care to keep their products
healthy.

There is no secret that the industry approach is to eradicate the concept
of "GM-free food" - it has largely succeeded in the US (cf prevention of
labelling food as "GM Free") but is being stymied by the EU - and this appears
to be the next step in their European campaign.

Do you honestly believe that this underhand approach should be allowed to
bypass the existing laws and contaminate the UK food chain?

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. I find the fears of GM food pretty unreasonable, and even more when it's animal feed

The 'health risks' of GM food just aren't showing up in studies, whether GM food fed to farm animals, or to humans. We already have some GM food cleared for animal feed in Europe - eg http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8545503.stm . Yes, I do honestly believe that 0.1% GM content (from GM plants that have been cleared in the US or other countries) in European animal feed is acceptable.

It's highly debatable that the resulting animal products contain any GM products, since the 'GM products' will have had to survive the digestive processes of the animal, get absorbed through the gut, and then get incorporated into the resultant flesh, milk or eggs of the animal concerned. Both DNA and protein get digested (first by the animal, then again by us when we eat the animal product); if it's other chemicals you're concerned about, then those applied to the plants are just as much of a concern as the 'GM' label so many people worry about.