Introduction
We believe that the entire island of Ireland should be a GM-Free Zone and that this is a feasible option the Government should actively pursue. This would mean that GM seed or crops would not be grown in the island (either as crop 'trials' or commercially), there would be no GM feed for animals and no transgenic farm animals.
Some Key Points
- Immediately declare Ireland to be a GM-Free zone and prohibit the use of GM ingredients in animal feed and any testing or growing of GM crops and ban transgenic farm animals.
- Begin negotiations with the UK government in an attempt to achieve an all island GM-Free Zone.
- Establish a GM-Free regulatory authority to ensure that rigorous testing is put in place to verify that animal feed is free of GM inputs.
- Veto any EU proposed legislation that would allow a certain threshold for GM contamination in conventional seeds before the seeds had to be labelled as containing GM traces.
- Oppose the patenting of seeds.
- Ensure that the Irish Seed Savers Association receives adequate funding. (This voluntary organisation is dedicated to the location and preservation of traditional varieties of fruit and vegetables. The ISSA maintains a seed bank and plays a vital role in saving our genetic diversity for the future.) We will also ensure that naturally occurring or conventionally bred rare and native varieties of seed can be freely sold.
Authors: Drawn up by Carol Fox, Green Party Researcher, with amendments from Caroline Robinson, Convenor of the Policy, and Quentin Gargan.
Status: Presented to December 2003 National Council by Councillor Mary White, Spokesperson on Agriculture.
Read the full policy