Organic Farms Contaminated by Transgenic Organisms

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http://ens-news.com/ens/may2003/2003-05-15-09.asp#anchor1

 

 

Organic Farms Contaminated by Transgenic Organisms

 

SANTA CRUZ, California, May 15, 2003 (ENS) - Certified organic farmers have

reported the first direct financial and operational impacts associated with the

threat of contamination by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in a nationwide

survey conducted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). One-third of

the survey respondents rated the risk of exposure and possible contamination of

their organic farm products by GMOs as high or very high.

 

National standards for organic products, implemented by the U.S. Deptartment of

Agriculture last year, exclude recombinant DNA technologies from use in organic

farming. There are also a variety of strict tolerances for GMO contamination

imposed on organic growers by foreign and domestic buyers.

" In 1998, when OFRF conducted our previous survey, GMO contamination was not yet

a national issue, " said OFRF executive director Bob Scowcroft. " These new survey

results based on the 2001 crop year document that significant impacts have begun

to occur within a very short time frame. If this trend continues, what we're

seeing now will prove to be just the tip of the iceberg. "

According to OFRF president Ron Rosmann, a diversified organic farmer from

Harlan, Iowa, " This new data supports OFRF's call for a moratorium on the

release of GMOs until there is a solid regulatory framework that prevents

genetic pollution and assigns liability for the damages imposed by GMO

contamination. "

The OFRF survey found that 17 percent of survey respondents have had GMO testing

conducted on some portion of their organic farm seed, inputs or farm products.

Eleven percent of those who had GMO testing said that they received positive

test results for GMO contamination.

Eight percent of respondents indicated that their organic farm operation has

borne some direct costs or damages related to the presence of GMOs in

agriculture.

They may have had to pay for testing seed, inputs, or organic farm products for

GMO contamination. They may have lost organic sales or markets due to actual

contamination or perceived contamination risk. They have lost sales due to the

presence of GMOS in organic products, and several respondents have lost organic

certification due to presence of GMOs in organic products.

Forty-eight percent of those surveyed said they have taken some measures to

protect their organic farms from GMO contamination. The greatest percentage, 24

percent, indicated that they have communicated with neighboring farmers about

GMO risks to their farm.

Others have increased the size of buffer zones to neighboring farms,

discontinued use of certain inputs at risk for GMO contamination, adjusted

timing of crop planting, altered cropping patterns or crops produced, or changed

cropping locations.

Only 10 percent of survey respondents believe that a regulatory framework is in

place to adequately protect their organic farm products from damages due to

contamination from GMOs.

The OFRF survey results will be released this week at the Organic Trade

Association's All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show in Austin, Texas. The

complete results of OFRF's 4th National Organic Farmers' Survey: Sustaining

Organic Farms in a Changing Organic Marketplace will be published in fall 2003.

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