GM Crops and Food
The introduction of GM crops and food has raised controversy around the world. Questions include whether GM crops will harm the environment or GM foods be damaging to health. Because the technology is currently largely in the private sector, there are also issues of how, and in whose interests, it will be used.
GeneWatch UK is working to ensure the authorisation process for GM crops and foods is rigorous and takes a precautionary approach. We are also campaigning for liability rules that will compensate farmers for contamination of their products and require the biotechnology industry to pay for putting things right if environmental harm arises from the use of GM organisms.
From this page you can find basic information about GM crops and food as well as more details about the areas on which GeneWatch works.
Recent Articles
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GeneWatch UK submission to DEFRA's Environmental Liability Directive consultation
22nd February 2007 -
in BriefingsBriefing 36 A Review of 2006
25th January 2007 -
in 2006GeneWatch PR: European Commission in lap of US industry: GeneWatch UK response to decision not to appeal WTO GMO decision
21st November 2006 -
GeneWatch PR: European Commission must appeal WTO ruling on GM crops and food
3rd November 2006 -
GeneWatch UK response to DEFRA consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops
13th October 2006Response from GeneWatch UK. 13th October 2006
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in 2006GeneWatch PR: Lights stay amber for GM products: claims of US victory do not reflect trade ruling
28th September 2006 -
GeneWatch Submission to ACRE Consultation: Managing the Footprint of Agriculture: Towards a Comparative Assessment of Risks and Benefits for Novel Agricultural Systems
8th June 2006 -
GeneWatch comments on WTO GMO dispute panel interim report
31st March 2006On the 7 February 2006, the WTO's dispute panel considering the complaint brought by the USA, Argentina and Canada about the EC's moratorium on approval of GMOs and EU member state bans on certain GMOs, sent its interim report to the parties. This short background paper summarises the main findings of the panel, but it should be borne in mind that these could be modified in the final report. Although the US, Canada and Argentina have claimed 'victory', the findings are complex and specific to Europe and how the moratorium was handled by the European Commission. Even within this context, its implications are limited, but certainly it does not provide any basis for challenging other countries regulating GMOs as they wish, including establishing a level of zero risk.
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in 2006GeneWatch PR: GeneWatch UK welcomes move to maintain moratorium on Terminator technology
27th March 2006 -
GM Contamination Register Report 2005
8th March 2006This report is the first from the on-line GM Contamination Register (www.gmcontaminationregister.org) and reviews cases reported in the public and scientific literature of contamination, illegal plantings and releases of GM organisms, and negative agricultural side-effects since GM crops were first grown commercially on a large scale in 1996. This represents a sample of the actual cases of GM contamination that have taken place, many of which are not detected or not revealed because they are part of food producers quality control systems. The report also includes a special review of the Syngenta Bt10 GM maize contamination incident that took place in 2005, affecting the USA, Europe and Japan and probably many other countries importing maize from the USA. It considers the scope and causes of all the incidents, to make recommendations for action.
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in 2006GeneWatch PR: First contamination report reveals worldwide illegal spread of genetically engineered crops
8th March 2006