GM contamination – have your say

On 20th July the Government published its long-awaited public consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops in England. If the proposals go ahead they would result in routine contamination of non-GM and organic food. This would mean that products could contain up to 0.9% GM material without having to be labelled as containing GM. There is widespread concern that the proposals would mark the end of any real choice between GM and non-GM food.

Despite the public interest in GM food debate, Defra is not advertising the consultation beyond its website. The proposals have huge implications for consumers, farmers, retailers and the environment.

The consultation is open to everyone and the closing date is 20th October 2006. If you are concerned about the prospect of unlabelled GM material in your food, you need to be sure your views are heard by Defra.

What is GM? 
When a plant is genetically modified, its genetic material is altered (or a gene is transferred from another organism) in order to produce certain characteristics.

What is co-existence?
Coexistence is a term used by the European Commission to describe ‘the ability of farmers to make a practical choice between conventional, organic and GM crops production, in compliance with the legal obligations for labelling and/or purity criteria’.

Evidence shows that if GM crops are grown then cross contamination of non-GM crops is inevitable. Coexistence is about the practical regulatory measures needed to manage that contamination and the impact, particularly economic, on farmers. It could include measures such as separation distances between GM and non-GM crops, legal liability for any damage caused by GM crops and a public register of where GM crops are grown.

Why is 0.9% relevant?
The EU Regulation 1829/2003 that deals with GM labelling states in Section 2, Article 12, paragraph 2 that products containing over 0.9% of GM material must be labelled as containing GM. 

Products containing GM material under 0.9% do not have to be labelled, providing that this presence is adventitious or technically unavoidable. To avoid being labelled as GM the producer must supply evidence to show they have taken appropriate steps to avoid the GM presence. If the rules are designed to facilitate the contamination as the Government is proposing, then it cannot be classed as accidental or technically unavoidable. The Government is effectively transposing the labelling laws on to the contamination issue, paving the way for contamination to become the norm.

What is the Government proposing?
Although the Government is undertaking a public consultation, there are certain decisions they already seem to have taken that many people are likely to object to. Some of the main proposals include:
· Measures to allow routine GM contamination of up to 0.9% as a result of cross pollination while not being labelled as containing   GM. 
· No public register of where GM crops are grown. 
· Support for a 0.9% GM contamination threshold for organic crops. 
· Separation distances between GM and non-GM crops of a maximum 110 metres for maize when field data and evidence suggest significant pollination takes place at far greater distances. For oilseed rape the distance proposed is a mere 35 metres. 
· Liability for environmental harm is unclear


How can I get involved?
To have your views included in the consultation, you need to respond to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) by 20th October. You can send your response by letter or email, commenting on the proposals and their implications. The text of the consultation is available by calling Defra on 08459 33 55 77 or at:
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/gmnongm-coexist/index.htm

GM Freeze and Friends of the Earth have produced a briefing on how to respond that includes 10 major flaws with the consultation and an ‘In a nutshell’ response. There is also a website with an easy email action consultation response at: www.stopgmcontamination.org 

If you need any more information you can contact Carrie Stebbings at GM Freeze on 020 7837 0642.