POLITICAL : IRELAND BANS GMO CROPS: Positions itself in the world market as GMO free Organic Agriculture

[Guest guest]

Ireland Bans Gm Crops, Prioritizes Organic Agriculture

According to the advocacy group GM-Free Ireland, in mid-October the Irish

government announced a plan to ban the growing of

geneticially modified (GM) crops on the island, and to introduce a voluntary

labeling program for food made without the use of GM

animal feed (including meat, poultry, eggs, fish, crustaceans and dairy

products). The move comes as Ireland positions itself as a

global source for GM-free products and has created a funding scheme to increase

organic and local production. The Proposed Renewed

Programme for Government includes support for organic, seasonal and direct

markets. The President of the Irish Cattle and

Sheepfarmers Association, Malcolm , said he was delighted by the

announcement, adding, " The Government's new GM-free policy

is the fulfillment of what we at ICSA have held for the last five years. I very

much look forward to its full implementation. "

According to O'Callaghan of GM-free Ireland, " The WTO's economic

globalization agenda has forced most Irish farmers to enter

an unwinnable race to the bottom for low quality GM-fed meat and dairy produce,

in competition with countries like the USA,

Argentina and Brazil which can easily out-compete us with their highly

subsidized GM crop monocultures, cheap fossil fuel, extensive

use of toxic agrochemicals that are not up to EU standards, and underpaid

migrant farm labor. " The new policy, adopted as part of

the Renewed Programme for Government, was the result of a coalition agreement

between Fianna Faíl and the Green Party. Unlike

similar bans in other European countries that allow for trial uses of GM field

crops, Ireland's policy will expressly prohibit the

cultivation of any kind of GM crops. The island's geographic location and

offshore winds prevent contamination by wind-borne GM

pollen drift, making it an ideal candidate for such a ban. This, in combination

with the rigor of the new labeling system, will

provide a selling point for Ireland to market GM-free foods.

Historical Note: Several years ago Prince Island considered banning

GMO's. The Standing Committee on Agriculture held public

hearings which resulted in the largest public response in Island history.

While some farmers did and still do support the use of

GMO's, the initiative demonstrated significant public support for a ban. Just

days before the Committee was to issue its report the

Agriculture Minister ( MacAdam) interceded and declared that GMO's would

not be bannned. The Premier at that time was Pat

Binns. Today, Mr. Binns is Canada's ambassador to Ireland. MacAdam made an

unsuccessful bid for Member of Parliment. Today he is

a political advisor to MacKay the federal minister responsible for Prince

Island.

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