There is room for organic, conventional and genetically engineered crops (GMO) in Danish fields.

The Danish Plant Directorate has sent a proposal for new rules regarding co-existence between genetically engineered, conventional and organic crops for hearing.

The new departmental order suggests a reduction in distance requirements between fields with genetically engineered crops (GMO), and fields with conventional or organic maize, beets and potatoes. For example, the distance for maize is reduced from 200 m to 150 m.

The proposal for changes is based on an updated report prepared by the Scientific Account Group. The Account Group is led by scientists from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF) at University of Aarhus.

Roomy agriculture

The present rules are based on recommendations from the Account Group’s report from 2003. The recommendations in the report describe the agents that can make it possible to grow GMO in Denmark while at the same time ensuring that conventional and organic crops do not accidentally contain more GM material than permitted when they leave the farm.

The most important points in the proposal are with regard to minimum distances between GM fields and other fields, minimum number of years between growing crops of the same species, and growing methods to minimize survival of spilled seeds in the soil.

The latest evaluations based on European research show that the content of genetically modified material in conventional and organic neighbouring fields can be held under the threshold level for labelling with shorter distances than those stated in the present Danish rules. Therefore, the Account Group proposes a reduction of some of the distance requirements in their updated report.

Denmark at the forefront

Denmark was the first country in the world to pass a law regarding co-existence, which it did with broad political agreement in the summer of 2004. The government and the majority of the other political parties agreed that the co-existence model be re-evaluated no later than two years after the law came into force.

- The purpose of the legislation is to ensure that, within reason, genetically modified, conventional and organic crops can be grown. This ensures the farmer a free choice with regard to growing method and the consumer has the chance to choose which products he or she wants to purchase, says the chairman of the Account Group and vice-dean at DJF, Søren A. Mikkelsen. He also points out that the group’s work is a good example of research-based policy advice.

The Account Group consists of members from the Plant Directorate, the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, and the National Environmental Research Institute, both at University of Aarhus, the Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Food and Resource Economics, both at University of Copenhagen, and Risø National Laboratory at the Technical University of Denmark. The group has had an ongoing dialogue with a contact group consisting of representatives for consumers, agriculture, organic farming and environmental organisations.

The report (in Danish) from the Scientific Account Group can be read here:

http://www.agrsci.dk/temp/Supplerende_rapport_GM_sameksistens.pdf

For more information please contact:

Vice-dean Søren A. Mikkelsen, Faculty Secretariat, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, telephone: +45 8999 1607, mobile: +45 40808228, e-mail: SorenA.Mikkelsen@agrsci.dk

Special consultant Svend Pedersen, Danish Plant Directorate, telephone: +45 4526 3772, e-mail: svp@pdir.dk

Text and photo: Janne Hansen