Press release – 31st October 2003.
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: case study of maize grown in Spain.
Given that GM (Bt) maize is in its sixth year of cultivation in Spain,
this offers a unique (in the EU context) case study of whether approved
GM, conventional and organic crops can co-exist.
Current co-existence
Out of the current area planted to maize in Spain (about 460,000
hectares), about 32,000 ha (7%) is to GM insect resistant (Bt) varieties,
less than 1,000 hectares (0.2%) is organic and the vast majority is
‘conventionally produced’.
The evidence to date shows that these three types of maize production have
co-existed without economic and commercial problems. This includes in
regions such as Catalunya where GM (Bt) is concentrated . Where non GM
maize has been required in some markets, supplies have been relatively
easily obtained, based on market-driven adherence to on/post farm
segregation and by the purchase of maize from regions where there has been
limited adoption of Bt maize (because the target pest of the Bt
technology, the corn borer is not a significant problem for farmers in
these regions). Isolated instances (two) of GMO adventitious presence in
organic maize crops were reported in 2001.
Future co-existence
For the future, the likelihood of co-existence problems arising remains
fairly limited, even if there is a significant expansion in both the areas
planted to GM crops and to organic maize because:
- GM (Bt) maize is unlikely to dominate maize plantings in Spain, being
concentrated in regions where there are significant (corn borer) pest
problems. In other words there will continue to be regions of Spain where
GM (Bt) maize will not be widely planted;
- The organic maize area is likely to continue to be a very small part of
the total maize crop (even if there was a tenfold increase in plantings),
with a very limited economic contribution relative to the rest of the
Spanish maize crop;
- some changes to farming practices on some farms may be required. This
will however, only apply where GMO maize crops are located near non GM or
organic crops for which the non GM status of the crop is important (eg,
where buyers do not wish to label products as being GM or derived from GM
according EU labelling regulations). These changes are likely to focus on
the use of separation distances and buffer crops (of non GM maize) between
the GM maize crop and the ‘vulnerable’ non GM/organic crop.
Lastly, the organic sector can also take action to facilitate co-existence
by:
- applying a more consistent, practical, proportionate and cost effective
policy towards GMOs (ie, adopt the same policy as it applies to other
unwanted material). This would allow it to better exploit market
opportunities and to minimise the risks of publicity about inconsistent
organic definitions and derogations for the use of non organic ingredients
and inputs damaging consumer confidence in all organic produce; OR
- apply the same testing principles and thresholds currently applied to GMOs to other unwanted materials (eg, apply a test-based regime for
pesticide residues); AND
- accepting that if it wishes to retain a policy towards GMOs that
advocates farming practices that go beyond those recommended for GMO crop
stewardship (eg, buffer crops and separation distances that are more
stringent than those considered to be reasonable to meet the EU labelling
and traceability regulations), then the onus for implementation of such
measures (and associated cost) should fall on the organic sector in the
same way as current organic farmers incur costs associated with adhering
to organic principles and are rewarded through the receipt of organic
price premia.
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Co-existence
introduction Co-existence of GM
and non GM crops: economic and market perspectives - PDF format
Co-existence
of GM and non GM crops: case study of maize grown in Spain - PDF format
Co-existence
of GM and non GM crops in the UK can occur without problems - PDF format
EU Commission report on co-existence
EU Paper on GMO's in seeds |
