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Good Idea; Bad Solution - Proposals for the Re-Nationalisation of GM Crop Cultivation

July 13, 2010
Commenting on today's announcement from the European Commission to re-nationalise the authorisation of the cultivation of GM crops, Dr Julian Little, Chair of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (abc) said:

"abc believes that today’s decision will create legal uncertainty for farmers and set the clock back in the development of solutions to the challenges facing European agriculture. We will continue to stand by our call for policy to be based on rational, science based decision making and hope that member states will recognised the public value that such an approach can bring.”

abc comment on FSA GM Dialogue Steering Group

June 3, 2010

A spokesman for the Agricultural Biotechnology Council has made the following statement on the issue of the FSA GM Dialogue Steering Group:  

“As the industry body for agricultural biotechnology, abc engages with Government and public bodies, such as the FSA, on a wide range of issues. We are no different to others with an interest in these issues, including NGOs, who are also asked for advice and to attend meetings with Government.  This is part of the public policy making process and it is conducted in a wholly transparent manner.”


House of Lords report on climate change published

March 30, 2010

The House of Lords EU Committee has published a report on adapting agriculture and forestry to climate change. The report considers the challenges that are posed to the sector and makes a number of conclusions and recommendations on the EU policy response, the wider role of the EU, the long term changes to the CAP, research and knowledge transfer and financing. Of particular note:  

  • The report states that biotechnology is "one of the tools" available to tackle the impact of climate change and notes that it has "significant potential". The Committee welcome the news that the Commission will be publishing a compilation of research work undertaken on GM over the past decade and call on the Commission and Member States to "play their part" in ensuring that these are accompanied by "public communication strategies"
  • It states that there are "significant gaps" in scientific and technological research relating to how agriculture will adapt to "projected climatic changes". It calls on the EU to play a coordinating role in identifying these gaps and "ensuring they are rectified through research"
  • The report also calls of the UK to Government to recognise that the UK's research capacity needs to be strengthened in order to "inform policy on adaptation to climate change effectively"

The full report can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldselect/ldeucom/91/91i.pdf