MEP says European Commission decision puts another competitive barrier in front of European farmers
02 July 2007
This week the SCoFCAH committee in the European Commission, which deals with food and animal health, put European farmers at a further disadvantage compared to farmers outside Europe by refusing to authorise the use of a maize variety Herculex in the European Union due to it being genetically modified. Jim Allister, member of the European Parliament agricultural committee, believes that this could cause another hike on feed prices within Northern Ireland.
Jim Allister MEP commented, “The decision this week not to approve the Herculex maize variety for use in the EU will undoubtedly result in grain prices continuing to rise. This will cause real pain to our intensive, beef and dairy sectors. Prices for grains increased significantly over the last 12 months which resulted in many farmers not being able to make a profit. This decision may force many, particularly within the intensive sector, out of business over the incoming winter.”
Jim Allister is angered by the fact that yet again European farmers are expected to meet standards for food which they produce but compete with imported food that is produced under less stringent standards. “Last week EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson was willing to sacrifice European agriculture in order to get a deal in the WTO talks. If a deal was reached it would have resulted in Europe relying on South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina being the food basket for Europe. Not only are these counties responsible for growing the GM wheat that is banned from the EU, a recent investigation from the Irish Farmers Association clearly show that a large percentage of the beef herd has Foot and Mouth, has a very poor traceability system and is produced under a system with little regard to the environment.”
