Wednesday, October 22, 2003

FOOD NEWS

I resisted the temptation to gloat over two pieces of "good" news last week regarding Genetically Modified food or GMOs. Our good friends at Monsanto (by a very long chalk the largest GMO seed producer in the world and inventor of the equally repugnant AstroTurf) have decided to pull a significant proportion of its European operations and the results of UK trials on three GM crops dealt a severe dent to plans to allow the widespread use of GM seeds.

The results of the studies are a big set back to GM supporters and must now make the Government nervous of allowing widescale usage of GM seed: "...The results will be considered as part of the comprehensive risk assessment undertaken for every GM crop." (Though I think they'll fudge it and order further tests though maybe not the ones Greenpeace wants.)

Problem with all this is that Monsanto will just go elsewhere. One of the fictions of GM is that it is essential to help starving countries feed themselves. Trouble with that logic is that many tests have shown it not to be the case. Furthermore, many of the seeds Monstano sells are deliberately "bred" to be impotent. This means farmers cannot reap seeds from their GM crops to replant next year. The farmer is then beholden to Monsanto.

One better way to help farmers in the developing world is to acheive a wholescale reduction in farm subsidies in the developed world. Subsidies reduce the price of many staple crops (such as rice and grains) meaning it is cheaper to import crops from the developed world to the developing world. A massive failure of the WTO on that one.

More arguments here.

Meanwhile, Co-op bans GMOs

"Britain's Co-op supermarket group this week said it would reject any government proposal that paved the way for commercial plantings of genetically modified (GMO) crops in the UK.

"Co-op said 78 percent of those surveyed by pollsters NOP also said they had yet to be convinced that the commercial growing of GM crops should be allowed in Britain.

"As a result, Co-op [the UK's largest farmer] said it had decided against growing GM crops on its own land, selling GM food under its own brand, or investing bank customers' money in GM technology.".

Link here for the Government sponsored debate on GM.

In separate food news, today, the Food Commission urged supermarkets to stop the sale of sweets and candy at supermarket checkouts to help stop the growing problem of obesity caused in part by sweet eating. Bonus points to Waitrose and the Co-op for already complying with this recommendation.

:: Posted by pete @ 13:26