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.

In 2006 BASF abandoned its plans to cultivate its genetically modified potato in a test site in Meath. Public opposition was strong with regard to the trial and this coupled with a demand that BASF pay the cost of independent monitoring of health and environment impacts ensured that BASF pulled out. The question of liability with regard to cross-contamination from GM cultivation is still one which has not been accepted by the bio-tech companies.

Dr. Sinead Neiland Chairperson of IOFGA, said that the decision by John Dalli Health Comissioner had effectively ignored public opinion and safety concerns to please BASF.

“This decision puts profit before people or the environment and will do little to increase public confidence in how EU representatives approach GM cultivation” she said.

“The existence of non-GM alternatives means that there is no reason for farmers to have to cultivate Amflora for the European starch industry and no need to introduce the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance”, she said.

Organic farmers are growing a large variety of potatoes many of which are naturally blight resistant and the introduction of the cultivation of this GM variety threatens this diverse production across the EU.

-         ENDS –

For more information contact

Grace Maher

Development Officer IOFGA

Tel 087 6125989

The launch of the West Country Organic Pavilion reflects the growing consumer demand for healthier, more sustainably-produced regional food; and, as the first fully regional pavilion in the show’s 14 year history, it is expected to prove a popular visitor draw.

The Organic Trade Board (The OTB) will be making their debut at the show. Taking a stand for the first year since it formed as the voice of the organic industry in July 2007. Organic food is also well-represented within the popular Soil Association Marketplace, which features a diverse mix of artisan food makers, farmers and enterprising start-ups offering quality local products.

In total, over 500 companies are expected to take part in Natural & Organic Products Europe 2010, the UK’s only dedicated trade event for natural and organic products. The show annually attracts trade buyers from across the world in their thousands, and over 8,000 attendees walked the aisles of Olympia last year alone.

Natural & Organic Products Europe is free to attend for pre-registered trade visitors. To register, please visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk

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].

The 3 main GM crops grown globally are soybeans, corn, and cotton. Corn and soybeans are grown primarily for animal-feed. These crops are grown on huge farms which greatly reduces the biodiversity in these areas. Evidence is beginning to emerge that if GM crops are fed to animals, small amounts of GM material appear in the resulting meat and dairy products, and this was not previously identified. “Both of these issues, chemical use and traces of GM material from animal-feed raise serious human and animal health concerns about the use of GMO’s in food, and also major ethical concerns about the fact that foods from GM-fed animals remain unlabelled” stated Dr Neiland.

In the new Programme for Government in Ireland there is a commitment to introducing a voluntary labelling code for non GM products. This would be welcome both by food producers (conventional and organic) and also by consumers who could then make an informed choice.

There are very serious negative impacts associated with GM crop cultivation that need to be fully explored in the EU before we move forward in the GM debate. We in Ireland need to consider our “clean green image” as the food island. Small scale diverse production offers far more opportunities here and it also has a positive impact on the environment. Organic farming is a sustainable method of food production which is what consumers want, not high input unsustainable GM food.

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.

- Ends -

For further information contact:

Grace Maher

Development Office IOFGA

Tel 087 6125989

[2] “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States the first 13 years” by Charles Benbrook, the Organic Center

The design which won the organic logo competition:

The Organic Farming Scheme is an agri-environment measure under the Department’s Rural Development Programme 2007-13. Farmers may enter into a contract for a minimum of five years and could qualify for yearly payments of up to €283 per hectare during the conversion period and up to €142 per hectare when they have achieved full organic status. Following a review of the Scheme during 2009, applicants will now be required to submit a business plan and, if they have not previously taken part in the Organic Supplementary Measure in REPS, to undertake an approved training course. “At a time when funds are limited and we have to ensure value for money,” Minister Sargent said, “these changes in the Scheme are designed to ensure that the farmers joining it are those who have most to offer to the growth of the organic sector so that it can meet the increasing demand from consumers for organic produce.” In that context, the Minister said that the closing date for applications will be 15 May 2010 and that decisions would be made at that stage on the level of funding and on the number of applicants that will be accepted into the scheme.

The Grant Schemes, which support investment by both producers and processors, had been a major success since their launch in 2007. They were closed temporarily in mid-2009 because applications on hands at that point were enough to use up the funding provided for the year. There had been a significant increase in interest in the scheme and a substantial increase in the number of applications and the amount of aid paid over the past number of years. The number of successful applications increased from 82 in 2007 to 123 in 2009, an increase of 50%, while expenditure under the schemes went from €594,000 in 2007 to €1.5 million in 2009, an increase of over 150%. The on-farm scheme provides grant aid of 40% of the cost up to a maximum grant of €60,000.  For off-farm investments, the maximum grant is €500,000.

For further information about either the Organic Farming Scheme or the Grant Scheme please contact the Organic Unit at the Department of Agriculture in Johnstown Castle at 053-9163400. To download an application form you can go to the Department of Agriculture’s website at http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/organics

Here is our submission for the 2009 budget:

Pre-budget submission 2009 (pdf file)

(You can see our previous submission here….)

• Degree level qualification, FETAC or equivalent in Agricultural Science and/or Food Science
• Knowledge of organic standards
• Experience in farming, growing and/or processing organic product

The successful candidates will be expected to attend regular meetings in the IOFGA head office. A fee and expenses will be paid.
Interviews will be held during week commencing 4th January 2010.
Training will be provided and the position will commence before the end of January 2010.
Please contact Angela Clarke Certification Manager at angela@iofga.org for a job description and forward a copy of your curriculum vitae to the above e-mail address.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATION IS TUESDAY 22ND DECEMBER 2009.

A proposed logo

To cast your vote please go to http://www.ec.europa.eu/organic-logo closing date for selection is January 31st 2010.