While America wakes up and finds itself with a GM alfalfa
pollution problem [1], and Spain scrambles to control its GM maize pollution
problem [2], the UK has just found itself with a GM oilseed rape which nearly
became a pollution problem.
Britain doesn't, of course, grow GM anything
commercially. The offending genes were
found during routine trials of seeds seeking new plant variety registration. DEFRA quickly recalled the seeds, and ensured
that all affected plants will be destroyed by the company which supplied
them. Mysteriously, the seed was
imported from France which doesn't grow GM oilseed rape either.
A grass going feral and becoming a conduit for gene
contamination is predictable [1]. An
invasive gene-transmitting weed from the other side of the world in today's
globalised market [2] is something we have to start watching out for. The possible pollution of our entire seed
supply is simply stupidity.
The problems caused by GM contamination aren't abstract or
ideological threats.
"Time and time again, US farmers have lost literally billions of dollars through (GM) contamination incidents" (attorney George Kimbrell).
The biggest victim is America's burgeoning organic market,
in which the economic impacts of gene contamination include lost markets, lost
sales, lower prices, negative publicity, withdrawal of organic certification,
and product recalls.
US regulators haven't tackled this problem, leaving the
organic farmers themselves to bear the burden of avoiding the adulteration of
their produce.
This has led to an absurd situation where overall organic
sales in the US are going up, while the number of organic farms is going down
(USDA data), and the even more absurd situation where America (the world's
leading corn and soya producer) is importing organic corn and soya for its home
market.
The reality in Spain is similar, with many organic farmers
abandoning maize production because of the risk of contamination by GM MON 810
maize.
Besides genes, US organic farmers have to cope with
pesticide drift from neighbouring farms which not only destroys the organic
status of their crop, but means they have to go through a three-year transition
process for organic certification all over again. The damage due to pesticide drift has become
increasingly common as the USDA approves ever more herbicide-tolerant GM crops.
With increasing consumer demand for organic and GM-free
food, and regulators doing nothing meaningful to give them what they want,
Americans are beginning to take things into their own hands. A small but growing number of "GE-free
zones" where cultivation of GM crops is prohibited are springing up
(despite State opposition).
OUR COMMENT
Ironically, it's becoming increasingly clear that GM is
driving the world to embrace organic. GM
is also driving a healthy demand for knowledge about our food, including
transparency with regard to content, source, production methods, and whether it
actually is food.
We can help our fellow human beings on the other side of the
pond by continuing to demand what we both want: simple, unadulterated,
recognisable food.
Background
SOURCES
- Chelsea Harvey, Around the country, organic farmers are pushing for 'GE-free' zones, Washington Post 4.01.16
- www.gmo-free-regions.org, accessed February 2016
- Genna Reed, The Heavy Price Tag of GMO Contamination, Food and Water Watch, 22.09.15
- Christian Gysin, Alarm as GM crops planted by mistake, Daily Mail, 30.10.15
- GM oilseed contamination found in the UK, Thin Ice, Issue 38, December 2015
- Bill Freese, New study finds genetically engineered alfalfa has gone wild, exposing failure of "coexistence" policy, Center for Food Safety, 13.01.16
- Transgenic maize authorisation must be rescinded to prevent crossbreeding with new invasive species, Testbiotech/IFOAM EU Media release, 24.02.16
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