Wednesday 7th April 2004
Assurances sought over GM produce | |
|  | | A field of GM crops |
| | Councillors in Devon are concerned about the repercussions of GM crops being grown in the county. |
|  | | Devon Council Council is calling on measures to safeguard organic and non-GM produce from contamination by genetically modified crops.
The council has written to Defra, MEPs and the EU Commissioner to express concerns about the impact of GM crops on other produce at neighbouring farms.
It follows the decicion by the British Government to give conditional approval for the commercial growing of one variety of GM maize for animal feed.
The biotech company awarded the approval has decided not to go ahead with production, so GM farming in the UK isn't expected in the forseeable future.
 | | Public opinion in the UK is firmly against GM crops |
However, the county council remains concerned about the prospect, and the issue was debated at a full meeting of councillors.
In a statement, the council said: "The Council makes representations to the EU Commissioner, Devon MEPs and Defra to express these concerns, focussing in particular on the need for discussions on how organic and other non-GM crops can be protected from contamination if GM crops are grown in the UK and drawing the Government's attention to the importance of organic and other local non-GM food production for the county of Devon, and the effects worldwide on biodiversity."
Teignbridge South Councillor, Phil Cook, added: "We believe the Government's conditional approval for the commercial growing of GM herbicide-tolerant maize in the UK was premature in the light of the scanty research which has been carried out on this variety of GM maize relating to human and animal health.
"While GM crops are not currently an issue for food producers in Devon, this will change if approval is given for their commercial growing before research establishes that there will be no adverse effects on human or animal health or the environment.
"Legislation must also be put in place to safeguard organic and other non-GM farmers from contamination by GM crops and provide compensation in cases where contamination does occur."
The county council already has in place a policy that its catering service, Devon Direct Services, does not supply food labelled as genetically modified in any of the council's establishments, including schools and residential care homes.
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