NORTHERN Ireland Grain Trade Association (NIGTA) President Garth Boyd has told Farming Life that the EU Council of Farm Ministers and the Commission in Brussels must make decisions over the coming fortnight to resolve the zero tolerance issue, regarding GMO contamination of animal feeds imported into the European Union.
"Last month the German authorities reported the minute contamination of US soya by two, yet-to-be-approved GM maize varieties," he added.
"Unless action is taken by the EU authorities imminently, this may lead to the total loss of US exports of soybeans, soybean meal and other agricultural commodities to the EU. In such circumstances local feed compounders will have no option but to source soya solely from South America, which is far from ideal due to the poor harvest this year resulting from the drought in Argentina and southern Brazil.
"The knock-on effects of all this for Northern Ireland's intensive livestock sector will be extremely significant, with feed prices starting to be forced upwards again."
Mr Boyd continued: "We have been asking the European Commission for a technical solution to this issue for a number of years. We believe that a small shift from absolute zero tolerance to one set at 0.1% represents a step in the right direction. When one combines this measure with a realistic rate of sampling error we may well end up with an effective tolerance level of 0.3%. Local feed companies can live with this in the short term as it should allow the continuation of imports from all major Soy growing regions."
NIGTA's President went on to confirm that Farm Ministers meet in Brussels on Monday next. This will be followed by a meeting of the European Commission's Standing Committee on GM Approvals nine days later.
"The European Authorities have promised us a technical solution on the Zero Tolerance issue for many months. They have to deliver on this issue now and the opportunity to do this very thing will present itself over the next week or so," Mr Boyd further explained.
"Defra Ministers attending next Monday's Council Meeting in Brussels have been fully briefed by NIGTA on this matter."
He concluded: "NIGTA members firmly believe that the EU's policy on GM is totally flawed. Food produced using non-approved GMOs can be freely imported into Europe. However, EU farmers are heavily restricted in terms of what they can feed their animals because of a GM approval process that is far too slow and ponderous. This can hardly be regarded as a level playing field!
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