IOFGA endorses the ministerial commitment to introducing a GM free label for Irish products. The majority of meat and dairy products produced in Ireland are exported primarily to Europe. Germany has introduced a GM free label which has been very successful and it is being closely followed by the introduction of GM Free labels in other EU states.

The reason that such a label needs to be introduced urgently in Ireland is that consumers all over Europe are demanding food which is guaranteed to be GM Free. A recent study in the UK found that 92% of consumers wanted labels to identify GM free food, 75% of which said that they would pay more for food which is labelled GM free. Read the rest of this entry »

The GM debate continues to rage across Europe and recent decisions in Brussels delivered a two pronged approach the first essentially granting states and regions more autonomy in banning GM crop production and greater protection against GM contamination. The second is a legislative change which the draft text seeks to grant legal certainty to member states on GM cultivation which may in the long term pave the way to allow more GM crop cultivation in Europe. The impact of these decisions will be monitored carefully by member states as the delivery of pubic goods to citizens needs to be put before the needs of agricultural corporations who are pushing the GM agenda.

“The collapse of the public dialogue set up by the Food Standards Agency in the UK last week as key personnel resigned from the panel stating that the FSA was promoting GM propaganda and incapable of carrying out an objective public consultation process highlights the extent to which pro GM groups have penetrated government bodies throughout the EU” stated Dr. Sinead Neiland Chairperson of IOFGA. Read the rest of this entry »

That was the key question at the recent launch of the research partnership between the Irish Organic Milk Producers and Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre Research (ABC) in the Limerick Institute of Technology.

Pat Mulrooney, Tracey Larkin and John Liston in the research lab in LIT

The Irish Organic Milk Producers Ltd consists of 14 certified organic dairy farmers who have been involved in the organic sector for almost a quarter of a century. Pat Mulrooney Chairperson of the group stated that “as farmers using organic methods we have a thorough knowledge of the high quality of our product before it leaves the farm gate. However once our product leaves the farm gate we have no control over it. It is therefore important that as the primary producers we maintain control over our product by adding value to it. This research partnership will prove the benefits of organic milk and allow us to advertise and market our unique product to consumers”.

Trevor Sargent TD, also spoke at the launch and stressed how important the organic dairy sector had been in other European countries such as Austria in leading the way for the development of the organic sector as the high demand for dairy products convinced a lot of dairy farmers to convert to organic production. “We in government are committed to the development of the organic sector and my colleague Kieran Cuffe is looking forward to working in this area. In 2009 we invested €8.7million in the organic sector and we will continue to invest to ensure that the sector expands to reach its full potential”. Read the rest of this entry »