GMW: 3/4 of Swedish farmers reject GMOs

[Guest guest]

GMW: 3/4 of Swedish farmers reject GMOs

" GM WATCH " <info

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:17:10 GMT

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

---

Peter Einarsson

<peter.einarsson

EKOLOGISKA LANTBRUKARNA

[swedish Association of Ecological Farmers]

....

3/4 of Swedish farmers reject GMOs

 

Source: ATL (Swedish farm journal), 19 January 2006

article by Jerry Simonsson: jerry.simonsson

http://www.atl.nu/Article.jsp?article=33408

 

Swedish farmers remain solidly opposed to GMOs despite recent moves by

major farm cooperatives to introduce GMO feed and GMO crops. In an

opinion poll published 19 January in the farm journal ATL, 74 % of

farmers

say they will not consider growing GMOs, while 68 % say they will not

use GMO feed. Asked whether they would eat GMO products themselves, 64 %

say no.

 

The poll has been repeated a number of times over the past ten years,

and acceptance of GMOs has only changed marginally over time. The

figures may even underestimate GMO resistance, as the poll only covered

farmers with 20 hectares or more, and smaller farmers are likely more

negative.

 

All Swedish animal feed has been non-GMO until the end of 2005, based

on voluntary agreements in the dairy, meat, and poultry sectors. After a

policy change late 2005, the cooperative Swedish Meats, with 2/3 of the

market, will now start to accept GMO-fed animals for slaughter. The

dairy industry will however remain non-GMO, despite strong pressure from

the market leader, Arla Foods, to accept GMO feed. Danish-Swedish Arla

allows GMO feed in Denmark, but not in Sweden, putting them in an

awkward position when products are exchanged between the two markets.

 

Because most Swedish beef comes from combined dairy/beef operations,

GMO feed will likely not have much immediate impact in the beef sector

either, while some pork and poultry producers are more likely to jump at

the opportunity. Some smaller meat companies have however already

confirmed that they will remain non-GMO. Likewise, the growing integrated

production (IP) concept Svenskt Sigill (Swedish Seal) has no intention of

changing its non-GMO policy.

 

Swedish plant breeder Svalof Weibull, co-owned by farm cooperative

Lantmännen and German chemicals transnational BASF, has invested

heavily in

GMO breeding over the past ten years. A starch-modified potato is among

the first candidates for EU cultivation approval, strongly supported by

the Swedish government. Although the starch is intended only for

industrial use, the potato pulp from processing would be used for animal

feed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----------------