The Food Standards Agency (FSA) could exchange harsh words with the UK’s environment minister Michael Meacher today [Wednesday] over the issue of labelling and tracing GM foods.
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Both parties are due to give evidence to the European Union select committee in the House of Lords on tough new EU proposals demanding compulsory GM labelling.
Meacher is expected to support the more stringent labelling and traceability requirements, which will mean that any food product derived from a GM crop must be labelled as such, even if the genetic material is removed during manufacturing.
The FSA, on the other hand, is said to believe such tough measures are unworkable and would ultimately lead to higher costs for consumers. Rather than labelling indicating the presence of GM ingredients, it favours introducing a “GM-free label”, which will cost consumers extra if they chose to buy it.
As such, the body has been criticised by several campaign groups. Friends of the Earth (FOE) claims that the FSA-proposed “GM-free label” would be open to even worse problems of fraud and implementation.
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By GlobalDataAdrian Bebb, GM campaigner at the group said: “The FSA’s position is appalling.
“They seem to be more interested in protecting the biotech industry than British consumers. Food has been GM-free for thousands of years, but now the FSA say we must pay more if we want to avoid this controversial technology.
“The British public has made it very clear that they want proper choice over whether or not to eat GM foods. The FSA, which was set up to protect consumers, seems intent on taking that choice away.”
