US farmers visit Union on GM crops charm offensive

Date: 14/06/01

By Laurence Frost

PRESIDENT Bush was not the only American on a European charm offensive this week.

His visit to Brussels was preceded by a posse of US farmers eager to change attitudes towards genetically-modified (GM) produce.

The grain growers held talks with Health Commissioner David Byrne's officials on his proposals for GM traceability and labelling, which are expected later this month. They hope the discussions will help them claw back the €235 million in maize imports outlawed in 1998.

The delegation from the US Grains Council and National Corn Growers' Association (NCGA) was also hoping to persuade the EU to clear the way for the approval of new GM crops.

After meeting Union and Belgian agriculture officials, the group kicks off the next stage of its offensive tomorrow (15 June) in France - the country leading the six-nation moratorium on GM applications.

The US producers want changes to the current directive governing the sale of GM seeds, which does not allow for even the slightest contamination by unauthorised varieties.

Richard Tolman, head of NGCA, whose members account for 90% of US corn production, said: "We can't have zero tolerance - no one can. The people supplying the EU market now aren't meeting it."

However changes appear to be in the pipeline, with a reported deal between Byrne and environment chief Margot Wallström to introduce tolerance thresholds for untested GM crops (European Voice, 17 May).

But the farmers say other aspects of the proposal will maintain barriers to trade. "The traceability proposal as we're aware of it is unworkable," said Tolman. "We'd rather see a system based on testing." He warned that the proposed certificate-based system would be open to widespread fraud.

The farmers said they had received "no assurances" that a separate labelling proposal would keep paperwork to a minimum by allowing lists of 'may contain' ingredients.

Genetically altered crops account for around 24% of US production, worth a total €21 billion last year.

President Bush's visit to Brussels in June 2001 was preceded by a group of US farmers eager to change attitudes towards genetically modified (GM) produce. The grain growers held talks with Health Commissioner David Byrne's officials on his proposals for GM traceability and labelling which are expected in late June 2001.