Soil Association Report Asks U.K. To Disallow Commercial GM Planting

BRISTOL, England--Genetically modified (GM) crops "are far from a success story" in the United States and Canada, according to Seeds of Change, a report issued Sept. 17 by the Soil Association. The association compiled its report as an informative tool while the U.K. government prepares to release a decision on whether to allow the commercial planting of GM crops in the United Kingdom.

"A decision will be made next year whether to allow GM crops to be grown commercially in the U.K.," said Peter Melchett, the policy director at the Soil Association. "With agriculture still suffering a deep economic crisis, the temptation to seize a new technology is great. GM was introduced to the United States when farmers were financially vulnerable. The biotechnology industry's claims that their products would bring benefits were widely accepted, but GM crops have now proved to be a financial liability. Growing GM crops in the U.K. will undermine the competitiveness of British agriculture."

Seeds of Change is an analysis of the impacts of GM crops on farmers in North America in terms of profitability and yields. The report also covers GM contamination, the economic impacts of commercialized GM planting, legal issues associated with GM crops and farmer response to the "severe market problems" caused by GM crops. The association stated U.S. agriculture has been undermined since commercial GM crops have been grown in North America. It was estimated that GM soy, corn and oilseed rape cost the U.S. economy approximately $12 billion since 1999 in farm subsidies, lower crop prices, loss of major export orders and product recalls. The association named GM contamination as the most significant factor in this.

Among the additional findings presented in Seeds of Change was the fact that farmers growing GM crops have suffered lower profits due to the extra cost of GM seed (which can be up to 40 percent higher), lower market prices paid for GM crops and reduced yields. The report also indicated that within a few years of the introduction of GM crops, almost the entire $300 million annual U.S. maize exports to the European Union and the $300 million annual Canadian rape exports to the European Union had vanished due to market rejection. In addition, the U.S. share of the world soy market has decreased while non-GM producing countries have experienced an increase.

Additional findings in the report indicated GM crops caused an increase in government crop subsidies when they were supposed to have decreased; GM crops offered lower yields than traditional crops; GM crops are contaminating the food and farming industry; non-GM crops are going for premium prices; there has been a proliferation of lawsuits and complex legal issues associated with GM crops; the use of herbicides has increased significantly; and genetic modification caused the most expensive food recall ever--an estimated $1 billion.

Seeds of Change was based on interviews with organic and conventional farmers in the Midwest United States, as well as on independent academic references and industry analyses. The report can be purchased from the Soil Association via e-mail ([email protected]) or online at www.soilassociation.org.