The Irish Organic Network (ION) has called on the Government to take immediate action to "defend Ireland's environmental and food security from an invasion" of genetically-modified (GM) crops, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Editor.
Last week, the US, Canada, Argentina and Egypt announced that they were seeking "consultations" with the World Trade Organisation with a view to lifting the EU's moratorium on the commercial growing and importation of GM foods.
If the WTO rules against the EU on the basis of "free trade" laws, as environmentalists fear it will, the US and its allies will have the right to impose tariffs on imports from the "guilty" countries, including Ireland.
The European Commission said the US-led move was "legally unwarranted, economically unfounded and politically unhelpful".
ION claims "this coalition against nature" is being spearheaded by the companies with most to gain from it.
"Transnational biotech and agribusiness giants Monsanto, Cargill, Novartis and Nestle have slapped a $4 billion [€3.5 billion] annual price tag on the losses they will incur if they can't flood Europe with GM products nobody wants or needs," it said.
Mr Michael O'Callaghan, ION's chairman, said it would be a "disaster" if the Government was to allow the release of GM crops here. "The consequences will be irreversible."
At an ION conference in Dublin yesterday on the future of Irish farming, one of the events in the fourth annual Convergence festival, he said Ireland's world-famous "green image" was a big advantage for Irish farmers.
With one of the least-polluted topsoils in the EU, he said Ireland should opt for GM-free organic farming to advance its transition to real security and a sustainable economy, and increase our share of the €25 billion organic food market.
The conference keynote speaker, Ms Helena Norberg-Hodge, author of Bringing the Food Economy Home and a member of the International Forum on Globalisation, warned that GM technology was an attempt to control the world's food supply. Disputing its proponents' contention that GM food was a way of solving hunger, she said: "What is actually happening is that farmers around the world are now being forbidden to use their own local seeds that for generations have fed people."
Yesterday's conference was one of numerous events in this year's Convergence festival on sustainable living. Tonight, the main speaker will be George Monbiot, the best-selling author, journalist and anti-globalisation activist. Further information on the festival may be obtained via the Internet at www.sustainable.ie/convergence.
