Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
in late November, after a review initiated by the FSA, the Advisory Committee on Novel
Foods and Processes (ACNFP), reported that the produce from and cloned animals
themselves were 'unlikely to present a food safety risk'. It also appealed for more evidence
to be able to present findings with greater certainty and that consumers might want a
labeling scheme in place. This opened the way for the FSA board to discuss the matter, and
in turn make a recommendation to the Minister, which it did in May 2011, that the progeny
of cloned animals be allowed in the food chain. Even if the Minister approved clones and
their produce as 'safe', many anticipated considerable problems with public acceptance of
these products, although press reports suggest that the ministers were not minded to press
for labeling.
Despite the change in government this move represents continuity with the previous
administration's determination to have the administrative and legal framework in place for
genetically engineered or modified plants despite no domestic market or demand to grow
such crops. The FSA initiated the safety review as no farmer or business had done so, and
set the procedure in motion to have clones found to be safe. Even though research
commissioned by the FSA had found widespread opposition from the public to cloning, and
a belief that the system of approval was not adequate:
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There is a major mismatch between the methods used by regulatory
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authorities to assess food safety and the public's perception of what
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is needed. Participants wanted to see methods for assessing food
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safety that were analogous to the approach used in clinical drugs trials (Creative
Research 2008 :2)
In this the research echoed that of the more formal and larger consultation about plants
'GM Nation' that there was little interest in such crops being planted. As with GM plants
none of the supermarkets were prepared to endorse the use of clones and had previously
made unambiguous statements about avoiding clones or their products. The stance of the
government appeared to be to leave the opportunity in place to take up GM plants, and
more recently clones, in anticipation of domestic demand for such products. This is fully
in accordance with the discourse of food security discussed above, where technologies
managed by experts in the public interest will address the upcoming crisis.
8. Discussion
In their categorisation of the responses to the global food system Holt Gimenez and
Shuttack note that attention needs to be paid to the specific circumstances of movements
and the opportunities for alliance. This paper has aimed to do just that and then suggest
how these might have a wider influence, as they are diffused through the global organic
movement. On occasions proponents have argued because the organic movement in their
locality or jurisdiction has displayed particular tendencies then all organic movements
across the planet will follow suit. It may be that organics in North America, at a federal
level, or within a particular certification system has become dominated by corporate
interests. Similarly individual organic farmers are part of the most radical of groups and
champions of the broadest change to the agricultural system - such as Jose Bove. The British
organic movement has displayed tendencies that suggest an accommodation with the food
system; over 70% of organic products in the UK are sold through supermarkets. Yet, it has
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