A Taste of Wellness for Savoury and Snacks
Givaudan
Europe may soon be left behind on new technologies due to the lack of a common objective regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), said Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries speaking on biotechnology at the AGRIBEX Food Fair in Brussels this week.
""Europe lacks a shared vision on GMOs. Our response to the challenges of GMOs is "muddling-through". We have to stop making decisions on such a difficult issue as biotechnology on a purely emotional basis,"</>Fischler warned.
He added that it was high time that Europe found a way to address questions, such as: "Can we eat food that has been genetically modified?", "Do GMOs represent a threat to the environment?" and "Could the use of GM seeds have a negative impact on other plants?".
The Commissioner labelled the consumers role in this context as "absolutely paramount".
"Agriculture today is demand driven, and we will not be able to sell our products if we do not win the confidence of the consumers."
Fischler called for a policy which protects farmers who grow conventional or organic crops from accidental GMO contamination. "In the future, the conventional farms will have to follow the example of organic farming. Farms will have to segregate production and marketing chains, introduce minimum distances but also different sowing dates between GM and non-GM crop varieties," he said.