Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
133 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the use of genetically modified feed for animals; if his attention was drawn to the fact that the European Commission adopted a proposal to authorise placing the genetically modified maize line NK603 on the market; and his views on whether this decision might impact on the use of genetically modified animal feed here. [20075/04]
View answerPrior to the coming into force last April of EU Regulation 1829/03 on GM food and feed there was no obligation on importers, manufacturers or retailers to label animal feedingstuffs as containing GM products. This allowed the industry to use any of the eight GM events approved prior to the moratorium in 1998 in feed without the necessity to declare their presence. The approved GM events related to four maize varieties; three rape varieties and one soya variety. If as expected the new NK603 maize variety is approved for feed use by the Commission shortly will be the first GM event for use in feed to be approved since the moratorium began.
I have recently signed a statutory instrument giving authorised officers of my Department the necessary powers to ensure that the new GM feed labelling legislation is fully complied with. I am confident that the operation of the new EU Regulation will ensure that importers, retailers and farmers will be in a much better position to make choices as to whether they want to use GM or non-GM feed from now on.
