Chewing over GM labels

It would also confuse consumers and give rise to expensive compliance and enforcement regulation, he said.

But opponents of this view say labelling is necessary and meets consumers' right to know what they're eating.

CropLife's Stephen Yarrow told the AGM of pro-GM group AfricaBio that though consumers have this right, information on modern agricultural practices is readily available, making labelling redundant. He cited a 2007 Quebec study that shows labelling would cost C160m and systems management 28m/year. Government would also need to pay for regulatory programmes and the maintenance of the labelling system.

According to Yarrow: "Canadians are confident they have access to safe, abundant and affordable food. GM crops save [them] 58% on their grocery bills and have been tested and reviewed by developers, regulators and international expert bodies, with no significant safety concerns identified after 15 years of cultivation." Ottowa has adopted voluntary labelling based on the virtual absence of such concerns. He says Canada recognises GM labelling is complicated by a lack of consensus on what GM means. And there is no significant support for mandatory labelling.

The SA regulations state foodstuffs containing more than 5% of GM organisms should be labelled "contains genetically modified organisms", whether or not they originate in SA.

Janusz Luterek, a legal authority on labelling legislation, told the meeting those opposed to GM foods interpret the Consumer Protection Act differently from GM supporters. He says opponents are using labelling legislation and its cost to block the spread of GM food.

"They believe any foodstuff containing ingredients sourced from GM organisms needs to be labelled . Few, if any, processed products can contain a live organism," Luterek says.

It appears legal tussles might involve the interpretation of terms used in the regulations. But Mariam Mayet of antiGM lobby group the African Centre for Biosafety says "the law is clear".

"We favour an interpretation of the Consumer Protection Act regulations that [emphasises] the consumers' right to know, which is what they are intended to protect," Mayet says. GM opponents are unhappy with the way the law has been "flouted" since being passed last October and have called on trade & industry minister Rob Davies to "clear up the situation and give direction".

The centre has tested several unlabelled products, such as baby cereal and maize meal, and found they contain GM ingredients.

Source: Financial Mail