PG Economics Ltd today announced the release of
its latest research paper on GM and non GM crop co-existence – Co-existence
of GM and non GM crops: the non GM and organic context in the EU
The key findings of the report are:
1. GM crops can co-exist with conventional and organic crops in the EU
without causing any economic or marketing problems.
2. Claims by anti GM groups that GM and non GM crops cannot co-exist are
exaggerated.
3. Attaching onerous co-existence and liability conditions to GM crop
plantings would be inequitable and disproportionate.
These conclusions are based on the context of the crops in which GM crops
are being developed and the extent to which non GM demand exists, the
experiences of European arable farmers in successfully implementing and
managing the co-existence of specialist crops with other crops for many
years and practical, commercial experience of growing GM crops in North
America.
If highly onerous GM crop stewardship conditions are applied to all EU
farmers who might wish to grow GM crops, even though the vast majority of
such crops would not be located near to organic-equivalent crops or
conventional crops for which the non GM status is important, this would be
disproportionate and inequitable. In effect, conventional farmers, who
account for 99.59% of the current, relevant EU arable crop farming area
could be discouraged from adopting a new technology that is likely to
deliver farm level benefits (yield gains, cost savings) and provide wider
environmental gains (reduced pesticide use, switches to more environmentally
benign herbicides, reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions).
Market for non GM products in the EU
This market (ie, where buyers actively request that supplies are certified
as being non GM) currently accounts for about 27% of total
soybean/derivative use and 36% of total maize use. For crops like oilseed
rape and sugar beet, there is no real GM versus non GM market in the EU
because, in the case of oilseed rape, no GM product is currently permitted
for planting or importing for use, and in the case of sugar beet, no GM
sugar beet crops are currently grown commercially anywhere in the world.
Organic sector context
The share of EU crops planted to organic for which GM traits are currently
available, or are likely to become commercially available in the next five
years is extremely low (about 0.41%). This very low level of importance
reflects a combination of reasons including adverse agronomic factors (eg,
the nutrient demanding nature of crops like oilseed rape), limited demand,
and market preference for competing (imported) produce (eg, cane sugar).
Co-existence of GM and non GM crops
GM crops growing commercially in the EU and in North America have co-existed
with conventional and organic crops without economic and commercial problems
– only isolated instances have been reported of adventitious presence of
GMOs occurring in organic crops, even in North America where GM crops
dominate production of soybeans, maize and canola .
For the future, the likelihood of economic and commercial problems of
co-existence arising remains very limited, even if a significant development
of commercial GM crops and increased plantings of organic crops were to
occur.
Notes to editors
For further details contact Graham Brookes Tel: +44 (0)1303 840958 or Peter
Barfoot +44 (0) 1300 321501. Email:
peter.barfoot@pgeconomics.co.uk
or graham.brookes@pgeconomics.co.uk
A pdf version of the paper can be downloaded here:
GM and non GM
arable crops can co-exist in the EU without problems
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GM
and non GM arable crops can co-exist in the EU without problems
Co-existence of GM
and non GM crops: key principles for best management practices
Co-existence in
North American agriculture: can GM crops be grown with conventional and
organic crops?
Download
Comment on GM Foods: evaluating the FSE (PDF version)
GMO Crop Market
Dyanamics: the example of soya beans
What is the real
demand for non GM products in the EU?
Flaws undermine results of the UK biotech debate
Public Perceptions of
Genetically Modified Food and Crops, and the GM Nation? Public Debate on the
Commercialisation of Agricultural Biotechnology in the UK. Main Findings of
a British Survey
A Deliberative Future? An
Independent Evaluation of the GM Nation? Public Debate about the Possible
Commercialisation of Transgenic Crops in Britain, 2003
PG Economics comments on the Greenpeace paper ‘GM and dairy
cow feed: steps to a GM-free future for the UK dairy industry’
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