MEPs vote aginst GM labelling - pah!

We will continue to not know if we are eating food from animals raised on genetically-modified feed. There is currently no requirement on the food industry to label meat or dairy products produced using GM animal feed - usually made from GM soya or maize. Surely those of us who are not vegans should be given a choice about whether or not to buy such produce?

Photo: the impact GM has on our biodiversity is not fully understood but signs are not good.

Friends of the Earth have just found that less than 40 per cent of the public was aware that GM was now in our food via imported GM cereals and protein crops fed to livestock in the UK. Almost 90 per cent of those surveyed wanted these products to be clearly labelled! Sadly both Tories and Labour seem to be very keen to ignore this and push for more GM to be allowed in so that we reach point where there is so much it is difficult to say no.

The food industry lobbying should not be allowed to override democratic opinion. Worse still this vote paves the way for the EU commission to approve the import of six new GM maize varieties after lobbying by biotech firms Syngenta and Monsanto.

However one bit of good news is that MEPs voted in favour of a ban on meat and dairy products from cloned animals and a moratorium on foods using nanotechnology until potential health risks can be ruled out. Although this decision still has to be approved by the EU Council. It has previously rejected such calls for a ban by MEPs - hence the revote - a final decision on both issues is expected this autumn.

See fact file previously on Ruscombe Green re GM here.