GM lobby opens door to EU food chain

Photograph: Martin Argles for the Observer

Genetically modified crops will be allowed to enter the UK food chain without the need for regulatory clearance for the first time under controversial plans expected to be approved this week....

Relaxing the EU's zero-tolerance position would greatly benefit US feed exporters. The push for Europe to drop its zero-tolerance policy began in 2009 after EU authorities found traces of GM maize in soy shipments from the US and refused to allow its entry. Such recalls are expensive and those affected are unlikely to receive compensation.

GM supporters warn that the current zero-tolerance policy could result in a dramatic shortage of feed for livestock. But critics dismiss the claims as scaremongering and say there is no evidence to back up them up.

"This is a solution without a problem, and the price could be very high indeed when unknown genetically modified organisms are let loose in the food chain," said Eve Mitchell, food policy adviser at Food and Water Europe, a campaign group.

"Rather than ignoring EU food safety laws to help the US soy industry cut costs, we should simply buy the stuff from countries that segregate their GM properly. If it hasn't been tested, why eat it?"

Many of the GM crops, notably soy and maize, that have been found in animal feed imported into Europe are resistant to multiple herbicides. Critics blame these new GM crops for the recent rise of "super weeds" across vast tracts of the US farm belt.

Friends of the Earth Europe said it had obtained expert legal advice questioning the legality of the EU's plan. But European regulators believe that allowing the import of animal feed containing no more than 0.1% of GM traces does not jeopardise food security.

Jamie Doward

Mediterranean plants and land restoration

A group of experts in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, University of Sevilla (U.S.), along with researchers from the University of Abdelmalek ESSAADI (Morocco), has found that the remains of dates and olives, as well as the leaves of certain plants of the Mediterranean region, act as adsorbents of pesticides.

Scientists have studied how adsorbed, ie attract-and retain 22 types of natural pesticides in ten, five organic waste (peanut shell, bamboo and olive stones, dates and avocado) and five leaves of plants ( Eucalyptus, horseradish, oregano, oleander and jara), which were previously crushed. The results of the study, published in 'Journal of Hydrology ", show that the remains of the dates and olives are an average value of adsorption of 93% and 90% respectively, and the leaves of the radishes and rockrose, of 80%.

"The direct application of natural organic adsorbents on farmland not only retains the pesticides and reduce their consumption, but also improve soil fertility," says Hicham El Bakouri, co-author of the study and researcher at the Department of Chemical Engineering and U.S. Environmental.

The Bakouri stressed that the addition of this organic material crushed to the ground also favors the biodegradation of contaminants, and to increase microbiological activity, reduce the vertical movement of pesticides from surface to groundwater. These waters are commonly used for irrigation and human consumption.

 

What Katie did next - Organicismo

"Generally the produce you can get in Spain

 is quite good,

 and much of it is from somewhere in the country,

 but it’s not always easy to know where it’s coming from,

 or how many pesticides have been used to grow it." 

  Katie

España Profunda