IOFGA feels that the decision by the European Commission to give the green light to the commercial cultivation of the contentious genetically modified potato “Amflora” is moving the EU in the wrong direction.

Produced by German chemical giant BASF, the Amflora potato is designed to be rich in starch as an alternative thickening agent for paper, adhesives and textiles. However as far back as 2006 the ESFA themselves stated that “there is no guarantee that these potatoes will not enter the food chain”. The fact that “Amflora” carries an anti-biotic resistant gene will have major consequences if this potato does enter the food chain.

The data emerging from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) where GM crops have been cultivated commercially since 1996, shows that pesticide application to GM crops has increased by 27% in the last ten years making GM crops extremely expensive to produce both from the farmers perspective and also from an environmental perspective. The end result is crops which are very expensive to produce and crops which consumers don’t want to eat. Read the rest of this entry »

GM crops have been grown commercially around the world for over 15 years now and they have yet to offer any real benefits. In the EU at the moment GM crops are cultivated on 0.06% of agricultural land. 74% of which is grown in one country Spain[1]. Maize (MON 108) is the only crop which has been allowed to be cultivated however MON 108 is banned in Greece, Hungary, Austria, Luxemborg, France and Germany.

The economic, social and environmental benefits promised by biotech companies and governments have not been experienced by farmers or consumers. Instead the cost of GM crop production has continued to rise for farmers who are then left with a product which does not have a market as consumers do not want to eat GM food.

Dr. Sinead Neiland, Chairperson of IOFGA states that “data from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) records that over the first 13 years of commercial use of GM crops the use of herbicides has increased by 383 million pounds. The overall chemical footprint of GM crops is huge and continues to grow each year”[2]. Read the rest of this entry »

The key challenge of the next two decades is to stabilise atmospheric carbon dioxide to limit a global temperature rise by 2 degrees and avert catastrophic climate change. The global population is estimated to be in the region of 9 billion by 2050 which will place further pressure on food security and resources.

In the wake of the recent extreme flooding in Ireland strategies to mitigate climate change must become a priority of the government. Commitments on food and farming have not taken centre stage in the lead-up to the Copenhagen COP15 Summit, but there is growing awareness of the importance of the role of the agricultural sector. Within the EU the food that we eat represents nearly a third of our climate footprint as consumers.

“Farming will have a crucial role to play in climate change mitigation and adaption. Organic farming is a solution multiplier. It emits less carbon as it uses fewer inputs and sequesters higher carbon in soils, while delivering better results in biodiversity conservation, animal welfare and soil conservation” stated Dr. Sinead Neiland, Chairperson of IOFGA. “Business as usual is not an option, agriculture must play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Irish government must ensure that the potentials for mitigation from agriculture with particular reference to organic farming are on the agenda for discussion in Copenhagen” she stated.

The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA) is the largest organic certification organisation in Ireland. It is responsible for certifying the organic provenance of its members produce and the IOFGA symbol indicates that a product has met the highest standard of organic integrity. IOFGA also works to inform the public about the benefits or organic food and to support the development of organic food production in Ireland.