US to label GM foods
US farmers have taken to GM crops in a big way
The US Government has said that it will probably agree to label
genetically-modified (GM) food.
At the moment, American law does not require this. However, European
governments have threatened to continue their ban on the import of
certain US GM products if the Americans do not accept such labelling.
Up to now, the Clinton administration has opposed GM labelling,
agreeing with the American food industry that it unfairly stigmatises
what they regard as perfectly safe products. But the US Agriculture
Secretary, Dan Glickman, said that relations with Europe on the GM
issue could deteriorate into an all-out trade war and labelling was a
way in which such a crisis might be avoided. Speaking before an
audience of environmentalists, lobbyists and lawmakers, Mr Glickman
extolled the benefits of biotechnology. He said the technology would
lead to increased yields and a decrease in the use of pesticides.
Loud rhetoric According to Mr Glickman, several European countries
were letting their fears override these potential benefits. And he
urged them to sort out their internal differences as soon as
possible. "Quite frankly, the food safety and regulatory regimes in
Europe are so split, and so divided amongst the different countries,
that I am extremely concerned that failure to work out these bio-tech
issues in a sensible way could do deep damage in our next trade
round, and affects both agriculture and non-agricultural issues," he
said. "Both sides of the Atlantic must tone down rhetoric, roll up
their sleeves, and work towards conflict resolution, based on open
trade, sound science, and consumer involvement. And I think this can
be done if the will is there." American farmers are producing more
and more genetically-engineered products, with 44% of American soya
beans and 36% of corn coming from GM seeds. So far this has been
accepted without question by the American public. But last month,
researchers at Cornell University said that pollen from GM corn had
been shown to kill Monarch butterflies. Threat to butterflies This
has prompted the US Environmental Defence Fund to petition the
country's Environmental Protection Agency to introduce rules that
would see buffer zones of 18 metres (60 feet) around GM corn to
protect the butterflies. "There is considerable concern that other
butterflies, not only Monarchs, but including endangered species may
be killed by the widespread planting of GM corn," said Rebecca
Goldburg, senior scientist for the fund. But a study presented on
Tuesday by an association of biotechnology companies and research
institutions said more research was required to establish the real
threat to butterflies. Leonard Gianessi, senior research associate at
the US National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, said: "I
know of these risk concerns, I believe that the agency will look very
closely at those kind of risk concerns, to the Monarch and others.
"And if they conclude that there is a risk, an increased risk, then
they will do something about it. So there will be more research
done."
Samira Wohlfart
Organic Products Exporters Group Inc. (OPEG)
PO Box 8640
Christchurch
New Zealand
Ph: +64 3 348-0979
Fax: +64 3 348-1867
Email: wohlfart@chch.agnz.co.nz
Website: http://www.organicsnewzealand.org.nz
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