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[SANET-MG] cost to label GM food
Some of the estimates of the cost of labellings GM food in Canada have
been as much as a 30% increase in the cost of food. The few major food
distributors , of course, relished the prospects of even greater
profits. The article below shows that those threatening costs were
malicious untruths. The main fear , I believe, is that GM food labeling
would permit epidemiology to be studied to show the true health impacts
of gm food.
The Gazette (Montreal) 2007
Cost to label genetic food is overblown
Just $28 million a year: Quebec study. 87% want to know if food contains
GMOs
MICHELLE LALONDE
The Gazette
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Mandatory labelling of genetically modified foods would cost much less
than the food industry has claimed, a new study commissioned by Quebec's
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reveals.
The as-yet-unpublished study, obtained by The Gazette, estimates the
yearly cost of such a program at $28 million to Quebec's food industry
and $1.7 million to the provincial government.
Previous studies commissioned by the food industry - and cited by the
federal and Quebec governments as reason not to act on the issue -
pegged the annual cost of implementing such a system at up to $950
million (both government and industry) for the whole country, and up to
$200 million in Quebec alone.
At a news conference planned for this afternoon, environment al groups,
organic food advocates and consumer groups are expected to renew calls
for mandatory labelling in Quebec and to denounce Jean Charest's
Liberals for abandoning a 2003 election pledge to bring in a labelling
system.
Eric Darier of Greenpeace says the new study, written by Martin Cloutier
of the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, shows that the cost of mandatory
labelling is reasonable.
"Thirty million is a much lower figure than what (the food industry) has
been saying," he said.
Considering Quebecers spend about $30 billion on food every year, it is
a cost that could and should be absorbed by the industry, Darier added.
Many commonly consumed processed foods - an estimated 70 per cent of the
processed foods found on grocery store shelves - contain or may contain
genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
GMOs are organisms with genetic material that has been altered using
gene technology.
While there is uncertainty over whether genetically modified foods pose
a long-term danger to human health and environmental threats are
debated, polls have consistently shown that a strong majority of
Canadians want to know whether there are GMOs in the foods they buy.
A 2004 survey by Leger Marketing indicated 83 per cent of Canadians -
and 87 per cent of Quebecers - want mandatory labelling of GMO foods.
Canada is a major producer of genetically altered crops, such as corn
and soy, along with the U.S., Argentina, China and Brazil.
Many countries require mandatory labelling of foods that contain GMOs,
including the European Union countries, Japan, China, Australia and New
Zealand.
Labelling requires the implementation of separate production,
harvesting, storage, handling and processing systems for genetically
modified and completely natural foods, plus a validation system, and
separate shelf allocations by retailers.
While some assume the costs of such a system would simply be passed to
consumers through higher food prices, Darier said this has not proven to
be the case in other countries where labelling is mandatory.
"The international experience shows there is no impact on consumers,
because the entrepreneurs decided to change the way they do things to
absorb the supplemental costs," Darier said.
Greenpeace and other anti-GMO groups argue that long-term human health
effects of consuming genetically engineered food have not been studied,
and cite such potential health risks as resistance to antibiotics and
allergic reactions.
mlalonde@thegazette.canwest.com
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