NFU want no compensation for non-GM farmers with contaminated crops
The Soil Association today attacked the National Farmers' Union's position that non-GM farmers should have no financial protection if GM crops are grown in the UK. The NFU are keen that GM farmers do not have to pay in full for any damage they cause, saying that it would "be disproportionate to allow the entire responsibility for implementing management measures for coexistence [to] fall on the grower of a GM crop". In fact, they seem happy for the entire responsibility to fall on non-GM and organic farmers - but they don't come clean and say so. The NFU published their Policy Statement on the coexistence of GM crops with conventional and organic production on 7 October.
Patrick Holden, Soil Association Director, said "This weasel worded statement from the NFU tells us what they don't want: GM farmers to be responsible for the economic losses they might cause their non-GM and organic neighbours. What the NFU don't have the guts to say is what they do want - which is to leave non-GM farmers paying for the damage that they will suffer if GM crops are ever grown in the UK".
The NFU paper discusses options to protect non-GM growers in the event of contamination by GM. The NFU opposes the use of the courts by non-GM growers, rightly saying that this would be "most unsatisfactory and uncertain", that legal action would be "costly", and that "it is unclear if it could be successful".
The NFU says compensation schemes , whether funded by the taxpayer or industry, would be problematic, and could be highly bureaucratic. They " fundamentally oppose a levy" and appear to favour insurance - which means the cost (of insurance premiums) would fall on non-GM farmers and organic farmers.
But they do recognise what is already widely known, namely that "most insurance companies would be reluctant to offer insurance in the early stages of introduction of GM crops due to the uncertainties in assessing the risk". In fact, no insurance companies are prepared to provide insurance against the risk of GM contamination. The only option left would be what the NFU describes as doing "nothing and let the non-GM grower bear any commercial loss".
Patrick Holden added "The NFU's irresponsible position threatens the future of the vast majority of conventional farmers who do not want to grow GM crops. It could also spell financial ruin for many organic farmers. The Soil Association's position is clear: responsibility for any financial losses suffered by non-GM farmers, organic and conventional, should be met by the GM chemical companies who stand to profit from GM crops".
