Editorial: The GM Problem that Just Won't Go Away

As supplies of non-GM feed dwindle worldwide, those involved in the European livestock industry are becoming seriously concerned for their future. The economic burden of rising feed costs may soon render many farmers unable to compete with foreign meat products. The cost of GM policies may come at the cost of domestic industries.

The steadily growing problem brought the lingering GM dilemma back into the lime-light this week. Farmers and Ministers began pressing the European Commission to approve GM crop varieties as animal feed, and later, the UK Food Standards Agency and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs released an analysis of the potential effects of market trends and genetic modification (GM) regulations on food and feed imports.

The analysis expressed concerns over the rate of EU approvals for GM products, coupled with the absence of any tolerance for low levels of unauthorised GM material. A shake-up in the licensing process could take years to achieve, so one option under discussion at the Commission is to allow farmers to use non-authorised GM crop varieties with maximum threshold levels as an interim measure.

However, not all counties are so quick to dismiss the benefits of non-GM. At the end of this week, the German Minister for Agriculture, Ilse Aigner, presented a standardised logo for food products ‘without gene technology’. In particular, products such as milk or meat are expected to prosper from this move.

Adam Anson

	Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, 7th Edition The Seventh Edition provides veterinary, animal science, agriculture, and veterinary technician students with a comprehensive yet clear reference to understanding the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology.

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Global Dairy Cattle Industry News

General

 » FMD NEWS: Plan to Vaccinate 4.10 Lakh Cattle
 » Award Winning Green Feed Technology Debuts in US

Uganda

 » Cattle Disease Hits Gulu

United Kingdom

 » Carbon Footprinting Guide for All the Dairy Industry
 » Measuring the Pros And Cons of TB-Free Status
 » Call for More Imports of GM Feed Ingredients into EU
 » DairyCo at UK Dairy Event And Livestock Show
 » FSA and Defra Report Examines GM Feed
 » Sainsbury's to Guarantee Market for Veal
 » Sustainable Dairy is at the Core of Food Security
 » RSPCA's Supermarket Animal Welfare Competition

New Zealand

 » UFU Dairy Chairman Praises Fonterra Auction

Canada

 » Ample Feed Grain for Canadian Livestock Expected
 » Feed Barley Supplies Likely to be Tight this Winter
 » Options for Utilising Lower Quality Crops Evaluated

United States

 » NBAF: Safe, Secure and Vital to Nation's Interests?
 » Schering-Plough Approves Merger with Merck
 » Chemaphor and Elanco End Relationship
 » Merial: Combine Vaccination with Parasite Control
 » AFBF: Report Bearish for Corn, Neutral for Soybeans
 » Cattle Breeds: Focus Dams Top Limousin Breed
 » FACT Petitions to End Poultry Litter as Cattle Feed
 » In The Cattle Markets
 » Weekly US Cattle Outlook: Beef Market Down
 » Weekly Outlook: US Wheat Exports Off to Slow Start
 » Weekly Roberts Report
 » CME: Choice Cattle Supply Could be Boosted

Australia

 » No End in Sight to High, Volatile Feed Grain Prices
 » Weekly Australian Cattle Summary

European Union

 » EU Ministers Propose Additional Dairy Measures

Germany

 » Germany Introduces 'Without Gene Technology' Label

Ireland

 » Unlocking Disease Resistance from Animal Genomes



That's all for this week!

Ed.