Welsh GM crop farmers face tough new rules (From South Wales Argus)

Welsh GM crop farmers face tough new rules

7:30pm Tuesday 24th February 2009 in Gwent news By South Wales Argus Newsdesk

Farmers in Wales will have to comply with tough new rules if they want to grow GM crops, Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said today.

She is preparing a set of regulations which will say how far GM crops must be grown from conventional crops to stop cross-contamination.

The Assembly Government cannot declare Wales GM free as farmers are permitted to grow crops authorised by the EU.

But Ms Jones said the Welsh regime would be stricter than those in England and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government has not introduced such measures in an attempt to keep GM crops out of Scotland.

Ms Jones said: "The consultation will be a lot stricter than what has been recommended in England and Northern Ireland.

"GM crops that are authorised on an EU level cannot be legally prohibited from Wales, so we have to operate within that context.’’ She said she was "sceptical’’ about the role GM food could play in Welsh agriculture, but added: "I would not want to be in a position where Wales is in any way seen as Luddite.’’ The proposed set of rules are being unveiled on the same day that an increase in farming incomes was predicted, thanks in large part to the exchange rate.

Despite the recession, the income of the average farm business is forecast to rise 16%.

High milk prices are expected to outweigh cost hikes for dairy farms whose incomes are expected to increase 22% between 2007/08 and 2008/09.