Soil Association calls for compulsory labelling of GM food

The Soil Association has written to the new Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Lord Rooker, asking him to support the compulsory labelling of any meat or dairy products from animals fed on GM animal feed in the light of the findings of research by the FSA. The FSA report “Exploring attitudes to GM food” states that the principles of transparency and consumer choice were clearly a priority for people holding a range of attitudes towards GM foods and this shaped their views on regulation and labelling. In what will be a controversial finding for the UK Government, but supports the Scottish and Welsh governments' opposition to GM, the study states that those consulted thought that GM food was considered potentially unsafe and harmful or expressed concerns about the use of GM animal feed. The study states that people in this study felt strongly that all products which involve GM processes should be labelled. This included products produced with GM technology and products from animals fed on GM animal feed, which do not currently have to be labelled in the UK.
 

There is significant evidence that consumers respond to labelling of products from animals given GM hormones or fed GM feed. For example, when American milk was labelled as GM hormone-free, sales of GM milk dropped, and in response to their customers' wishes, major companies like Walmart, Safeway, Starbucks and Kraft insisted on buying hormone free milk for their own label products, according to the Soil Association. Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director, said: "Many years ago when he was a minister at the then Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, Lord Rooker spoke passionately in the House of Commons about the need to protect consumers' right to choose non-GM and organic food if that is what they want. We are asking him to deliver on that promise by ensuring consumers have accurate information on whether the pork, beef and dairy products they buy come from GM-fed animals - chicken and eggs should be fine, as almost all UK chickens are already fed non-GM feed."

Soil Association