United Kingdom
August 12, 2009
The UK’s first food strategy
document, launched by the Government, confirms that global food
production will need to increase dramatically to meet future
needs. Commenting on its publication, Environment Secretary, Mr
Hilary Benn has called for a radical rethink on UK food
production and says, “If GM can make a contribution then we have
a choice about whether to make use of that technology.”
“It is a positive step that Mr Benn now recognises that GM
technologies have a critical part to play in meeting both
production and environmental challenges,” said BCPC Chairman, Dr
Colin Ruscoe. “But in continuing to urge Brussels to speed up GM
authorisations he must declare his position on thresholds for
(EU) unlicensed crop varieties, on the EU agenda this autumn.”
One option being considered is a threshold of GM
‘contamination’, which could apply to the 30 or so crops,
including maize and soya, that have already passed the EU health
and safety tests, but still await political agreement for import
and use e.g in animal feed.
BCPC says that the Minister must oppose Brussels’ attempts to
continue the practice of imposing thresholds without scientific
basis. These purport to be safety measures, in line with the
‘precautionary principle’ but simply work to the detriment of
food production without delivering health or environmental
benefit. A prime example of this is the EU limits on pesticides
in water – which will result in the banning of critical
agrochemicals – where massive costs are already being incurred
in removing chemicals at levels with no toxicological
significance.
“Mr Benn has shown that he supports a scientific approach to
crop protection and production legislation, and BCPC has
supported his opposition to hazard-based cut-offs for pesticide
registration recently approved by the EU Parliament,” says Dr
Ruscoe. “He should now maintain this stance in the GM debate,
and strongly advocate a scientific risk-assessment approach, not
the adoption of arbitrary thresholds.”
315 words
ENDS
Information about the food strategy document can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/security/index.htm
The British Crop Production
Council (BCPC) is a non-profit making organisation. Over 50
years it has developed an international reputation for sound
science in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment.
Its conferences, publications and working groups bring together
scientists to form opinion on key issues. Its
website attracts more than
12,000 visitors a month seeking its opinions, products and
services. |
|
