September 5, 2007

Irish feed expert warns insistence on non-GM feed a serious threat
 

Insisting on non GM feed would lessen the competitive edge of the industry and have serious implications, an Irish feed expert warned.

The Irish Times reported that Prof Jimmy Burke, who was speaking at a Bioenergy 07 event in the Irish county of Carlow, said the GM tide is seemingly unstoppable. Ireland imports half its animal feeds from the US, and this is already causing problems for the industry.

Farmers using GM-free diets were unable to recover the higher costs from the market, he said. Continued use would have serious implications for the industry, he warned.

Insisting on non-GM feed is not a realistic option, Burke said.

Sadly, farmers who think that they could recover costs because the market would pay a premium for animals fed on non-GM feed have their faith misplaced, he added.