Fefac: Honest discussion needed about GM feed proposal

The plan entails that EU member states can decide on the authorization of genetically modified raw materials for food and feed for their own country. Even when this food or feed material is authorized to be used in the EU.

EU feed business acts in global market

Tijssens (pictured) highlighted that the complexity of the EU feed and food supply chain and its particular relation to GM derived raw materials is generally not well understood by governments and politicians. He stressed that EU feed and food business operators act on a global commodity market, where GM technology is a given. In order to allow for undisrupted market access to the global market, the EU should first review its needs in the light of the strategic raw material supply before considering adaption of is legislation. Tijssens made clear that, due to the complexity of global trade, the proposal could jeopardize the future of EU livestock farming, as there will be unpredictable situations for the supply chain that deals with a huge variety of raw materials destined to a huge variety of food and feed applications.

Read here the interview Ruud Tijssens gave to All About Feed magazine.

Hope for more open and honest discussion

All panellists (Ruud Tijssens, representing Fefac, FEDIOL and COCERAL, Director General Ladislav Miko from DG SANTE and COM ENVI chairman and Giovanni La Via, EP rapporteur) expressed their hope that the current proposal on the imports of GM crops will create more awareness with politicians, citizens and consumers on the reality of cross-border trade with GM-derived feed and foodstuffs and will provide a more open and honest discussion than has been the case with the proposal on the cultivation of GM crops.