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NO CASH FOR GM LABELS ENFORCEMENT SAYS TRADING STANDARDS. FOE calls for GM levy to pay for monitoring
25 June 1999
Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to take urgent action and impose a levy on GM food producers to pay for the monitoring. Most people in the UK want to avoid GM food, but lack of segregation has made this difficult.
Steve Butterworth, Food Spokesperson for ITSA said:
"If the Government wants local authorities to enforce these new GM labelling laws then it will have to ensure that we have sufficient funds to do so. Over recent years Trading Standards has seen its resources cut, we cannot afford to do the monitoring that we want to do, and that the public expects us to do.Public expectations over GM labelling have been fuelled by recent Government announcements, but so far we've not received a genetically modified bean."
Adrian Bebb, Food Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
"The Government has assured consumers that GM labelling will work. But without proper funding to pay for monitoring it will simply be another hollow promise. Most people don't want to eat GMOs, yet they are still creeping into our food. The biotech industry is profiting from this technology, so they should pay for the policing of the new laws on GM food."
Under new regulations that came into force in March, food producers are obliged to label any food they manufacture containing genetically modified DNA from either soya or maize.And from mid-September the law will also cover food sold in restaurants and cafes.
Friends of the Earth has been critical of the GM labelling laws because they exempt GM ingredients such as tomato puree, and derivatives such as oils and lecithin (an emulsifier made from soya).
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
