GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS IN ANIMAL FEED

Early day motion 330, tabled 16 February 1999 by Alan Simpson (Labour). Signed by 41 members.

That this House notes with deep concern that a substantial percentage of the United States of America crop of soya beans is now genetically-modified; further notes that these beans are harvested, processed and shipped across the Atlantic as a bulk commodity with the result that virtually all deliveries of such soya beans to the European market are contaminated with high levels of GMO soya beans; observes with alarm that one of the largest single uses of such soya beans is in animal feedstuffs, with the result that a significant percentage of all meat on retail sale in the United Kingdom has been reared in whole or in part on GMO contaminated feed; and, in learning from the BSE crisis the lessons of the dangers of animal feed contamination, (a) calls upon Her Majesty's Government immediately to introduce a moratorium on the use of such GMO contaminated beans in the rearing of all meat for sale in the United Kingdom and (b) demands that retailers immediately introduce a system of labelling for all fresh and processed meat products, indicating clearly to consumers whether GMO contaminated feeds have been used in rearing that meat.

Signatures by party: Labour 20, Liberal Democrat 13, Labour/Co-operative 3, Scottish National Party 2, Plaid Cymru 1, UKUP 1, UUP 1.