Living happily side by side?
- August 2004
This Opinion was featured in the August 2004 issue of the the Anglia Farmer
The emergence of the GM crops issue is manna from heaven for the organic movement, says David Walker.
The ever-changing focus of opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops has a new target, coexistence with organic production. As this is a commercial, rather than environmental, issue, it will surely be resolved through compromise.
The government seems to be moving towards regulations restricting the growing of GM crops close to organic crops, even though there seems little if any scientific or practical as opposed to political, reason to do this. In North American the organic movement has survived almost ten years of GM crops.
In an environmental context the coexistence of GM and organic crops is a non-issue. The basis of exclusion of genetically engineered crops from organic production is based on the supposition that they are some how a threat to the environment, human health, animal welfare or other more nebulous factors that organic movement believes to be undesirable.
The reality is that, if the growing of GM crops is, in the minds of political decision makers who have bound themselves to scientific evidence, a threat on any of these matters, their release would not be permitted. And, if it not is, there is no fundamental reason for the organic movement to exclude their use. In fact, the environmental and conservation advantages of GM crops would logically endear them to the organic movement.
But the situation is, of course, complicated by commercial considerations. The organic food marque is no different in principal to those of Coca Cola soft drinks, Adidas foot wear, or Channel cosmetics. It is based on perceptions of superiority and the ability of the holders of the marques to create and maintain that perception through the publicity.
Traditionally organic food has been promoted as tasting better, being healthier, environmentally preferable and animal welfare friendly. Such organizations as the Advertising Standards Authority and the Food Standards Agency have challenged the organic movement on these claims in recent years.
The emergence of the GM crops issue is, therefore, manna from heaven for the organic movement. There are more than enough people, who for one reason or another perceive GM crops to be a threat, to provide an invaluable market for GM-free organic food.
Getting a good deal on coexistence is doubly important for the organic movement. The process its self creates current publicity. And the creation of some government sponsored GM-free status for organic food can be promoted without fear of retribution in the future.
But the organic movement will need to be careful not to overplay its hand. The worst case scenario for the movement would be no GM crops in which case the GM-free status of organic produce in any advertizing context would be next worthless. Some compremise will be necessary.
And what will the compromise be? Think in terms of something"snappy", which will look good on a produce bag in a supermarket, or handwritten on a piece of cardboard stuck in a pile of loose produce at a farmers’ market.
August 2004
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