Ireland to back EU on relaxing GM food rules

[safefood]

IRELAND is to change tack and back EU proposals to allow food, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of, or produced from, genetically modified maize and cotton into the market. EU ministers were yesterday due to reverse their anti- GM animal feed regulations of 2009, but postponed the vote overnight to consider proposed amendments.

The EU says its policy reversal has been brought about by the impracticalities in separating and testing of animal feeds imported from non-EU countries.

While Ireland had previously adopted an anti-GM stance, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith, has now altered that view and supported yesterday’s proposal.

Ireland will also vote in favour of a low-level presence of as yet unauthorised GM varieties in imports of animal feed.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the European Food Safety Authority support the changes.

To read further click here to visit the Irish Examiner website.