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Poland escapes feed ban, punishes crop growers instead
Posted: Thursday, December 4, 2008 11:54 am
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Perhaps taking a clue from the devastation of the poultry and livestock industries in Western Europe wrought by bans on GM animal feed, Polish decision makers, industry, scientists, producers, and regional political leaders worked together to postpone a ban on animal feed derived from biotech crops until the end of 2012. However, Poland's Ministry of Environment is pushing forward on their anti-GMO position with a new draft of a cultivation law, which legislators hope to put into effect by the beginning of 2009.

This is what Sharon Li of Alibaba.com gleaned from a report by the Foreign Agricultural Services, which is part of the US Department of Agriculture.

However, Polish pork production is already in crisis, and at the same time, Polish farmers are adopting GM maize crops faster than nearly any other country in Europe.

This poises Polish farmers and lawmakers for a head-on collision.

Currently, Poland has a cultivation law that makes it illegal to purchase GM seeds in Poland, but does not actually make it illegal to plant these seeds. The new amendments proposed by the Polish government, which are intended to make Poland's GM cultivation law compliant with EU regulatory authorities, would only make planting GM seeds in Poland more difficult.

There is debate as to the reaction of the EU Commission, as the new draft amendments may still not make Poland's GM cultivation law in compliance with EU regulations. Poland's earlier outright ban on the cultivation of GM crops fell afoul of EU regulations. Since then, Poland's government has sought to enact regulations which are not an explicit ban, but act as a ban nonetheless.

The new draft cultivation law in Poland falls in line with declarations made by the Polish government since 2006 that state that it is against the development of GM crops in Poland. Written justification for the passage of this law states the government's position. The justification for the cultivation law plainly states that the law is designed to prevent GM crops from cultivation. [em added.]

Polish producers say they will not plant GMO seeds under the draft law if it is passed because the administrative risk is too high. The Ministry received negative comments from producers, many who prepared detailed analysis about how the law conflicts with EU mandates. Scientists were also outraged by the provisions of the law which would regulate their activities. Presently, the Ministry of Environment does not approve animal feed tests and open crop trials. The draft imagines an even stricter regime.

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