As the second article below says, M&S going GM free on meat, poultry and eggs could "spark a reversal in the chain's falling popularity among shoppers" but the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales (see item 1) is unlikely to see any upturn in its repuation for getting it wrong and being totally out of touch with the customer. In fact, by nailing its colours so firmly to the GM mast, the NFU has got this issue wrong at every stage while its own food quality assurance scheme, which doesn't guarantee GM FREE, has earned widespread derision as nothing short of farcical.
Contrast the Canadian NFU which has had first hand experience of the GM revolution and which is now calling for a "a moratorium on the production, importation, distribution, and sale of GM food" and which says while any economic benefits to farmers of genetically modifying crops and livestock are questionable, the risks and costs of the technology are real.
1. Meat prices may soar in GM food row
2. M&S moves to stock GM-free meat, fish and poultry
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Meat prices may soar in GM food row
By David Brown, Agriculture Editor
Daily Telegraph
ISSUE 2072
Friday 26 January 2001
CONSUMERS could face shortages of British meat if supermarkets insist that livestock must be fed on rations free of genetically modified ingredients, farmers' leaders said yesterday.
The National Farmers' Union of England and Wales said: "We are deeply concerned that the current intentions of several supermarkets will disrupt the supply of British meat, not just to those stores but to all retailers and caterers." It called on Nick Brown, the Agriculture Minister, to hold a meeting of producers, processors and retailers to discuss the problem.
The union warned that the price of meat could soar, due to the expense of GM-free rations, and challenged supermarkets to make legally binding agreements with farmers that they would absorb the "substantial" extra costs. The move came after Marks & Spencer said that none of the food sold in its stores came from animals fed on GM rations. This included beef, lamb, pork, chicken and salmon.
David Gregory, head of technology at Marks & Spencer, said: "We've worked in partnership with our farmers, feed suppliers and processors to achieve this." The NFU dismissed fears over GM ingredients and said there was no evidence to suggest any risks to consumers. All GM material was broken down naturally when eaten by farm animals, it claimed.
In a statement the union said: "It is one thing for the retailers to offer consumers choice by developing lines of meat and meat products produced from animals fed without any use of GM feeds. It is quite another for them to require all meat products to come from animals not fed with GM feeds. This will be expensive if it is possible. Supplies of guaranteed GM-free feed ingredients are limited and a sudden increase in demand can only lead to higher costs for farmers."
Other supermarkets, including Tesco, have been persuading suppliers to phase out GM ingredients in animal rations.
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M&S moves to stock GM-free meat, fish and poultry
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_185071.html
Marks & Spencer is to push forward its products from animals reared on GM-free diets
It says that no food containing any genetically modified ingredients will be fed to fresh beef, lamb, chicken, and salmon sold in its stores.
Eggs will also come from chickens fed only on natural products.
The move could help spark a reversal in the chain's falling popularity among shoppers.
On Tuesday, it admitted it had lost touch with its shoppers as it suffered a slump in sales over Christmas.
Although food sales for the group were up more than 2% in the 16 weeks to January 20 compared with the same period 12 months earlier, overall sales fell by 5.1%.
The situation was most bleak in clothing, footwear and gifts where total sales fell by 9.3% and 4.8% respectively.
David Gregory, head of technology at Marks & Spencer, claims the move to stock shelves with a wide range of completely GM-free foods is a "landmark first for a British food retailer".
"We've worked in real partnership with our farmers, feed suppliers and processors to achieve this," he said.
"We're in the unique position of only selling own-brand goods and so our customers have the reassurance of knowing that our food products are carefully produced to our specifications and no one else's. "<
Last updated: 11:18 Thursday 25th January 2001
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"Farmers are really starting to question the profit-enhancing ability of products that seem to be shutting them out of markets worldwide" -Cory Ollikka, Canada's National Farmers Union president calling for a moratorium on GM crops, December 2000
"The only farmers making any money off GMOs have been those who are growing non-GMO stuff and can prove it." -Linda Edwards, a Canadian farmer, November 27, 2000
"The only truly safe seed selection will be seed corn free of any genetic modification" -A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co. in a letter to 1,200 of its corn suppliers, November 2000
"....you guys [US Government] created this monster; you clean it up. I have learned my lesson. No more GMO crops on this farm - ever." - US farmer and GM seed salesman, Nebraska, Dec 2000
"GM organisms have become the albatross around the neck of farmers" -Gary Goldberg, American Corn Growers Association
"Food biotech is dead" -Dr. Henry Miller, a senior research fellow at the Hoover Institution and who was formerly responsible for biotechnology issues at the Food and Drug Administration - 1979 to 1994