Public Won't Swallow GM Contamination of Organic Crops

Today's 'Independent' ("Official Data Reveals GM Crops Risk", Independent, 17th June 1999), states that a new Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) report discusses levels of contamination of organic agriculture by genetically modified (GM) crops. A new MORI poll, commissioned by Greenpeace, reveals that the vast majority of the British public does not consider GM contamination of organic foods and crops to be acceptable.

The poll reveals that 74% of the public expressed concern, increasing to 81% among Labour supporters, if ministers attempted to redefine organic standards to incorporate organic crops that may have cross-pollinated with GM crops.

"The Government should listen to what the people are demanding and stop field trials. Unacceptable environmental pollution is inevitable. They promised the people choice. If they don't act, this choice will be taken away," said Greenpeace campaign Director, Dr Doug Parr.

The John Innes Institute report, commissioned by MAFF, reportedly says that GM crops will contaminate organic crops. If GM crops and organic ones are to be grown in the UK levels of contamination will have to be decided on; a concept unacceptable to the organic movement. This leads to stark choices ahead for the Government as admitted by the Chair of the Government's own advisory committee on releases to the Environment (*).

GM pollution is unlike any other forms of pollution, such as pesticides, as it is comprised of living organisms. Once established in the plant, it may multiply, and pass it's genetic make-up on to future plant generations. It is not possible to set thresholds for living pollution.

Dr Doug Parr, Greenpeace campaign director said: "It is ridiculous to set thresholds for pollution that is living and will multiply. This poll shows that the public won't swallow the contamination of organic crops with GM pollution. Consumers have already voted with their purses against GM foods and in favour of healthy, modern organic alternatives. The Government should respond to the public's concern and protect organic produce rather than continuing to release GM pollution into the countryside and thereby consigning organic agriculture to its death bed."

Q At present in this country, organic crops which may have come into contact with, or cross-pollinated with, genetically-modified crops may not legally be described or labelled as "organic" - as a result of this cross-pollination.

As it is currently agreed that some cross-pollination of GM crops with neighbouring organic crops is inevitable, it has been proposed that the standards for defining "organic" foods should include organic crops which may have cross-pollinated with GM crops.

How concerned, if at all, would you be if the definition of organic crops was changed in this way? Would you say ...

	%
Very concerned	45
Fairly concerned	29
Not very concerned	15
Not at all concerned	8
Don't know/no opinion	3
Concerned	74
Not concerned	23

(*) In a public statement Professor John Beringer recently said: "If you are going to grow GM crops, they will cross-pollinate crops on neighbouring organic farms at a very low frequency. That is inevitable. There are only two ways out of this problem. One is not to grow GM crops. The other is to find a way of defining what proportion of contamination is acceptable." Professor John-in Beringer CBE, Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. (Food Future booklet)

For further information about the Greenpeace True Food campaign or copies of the new Greenpeace/Soil Association report 'The True Cost of Food' are available on www.truefood.org

Technical details

MORI interviewed a representative sample of 501 adults aged 16+, by telephone, across Britain between 12-13 June 1999