GM CROPS CONSULTATION ‘THREATENS STANDARDS’
12 January 2021
Graeme has condemned Westminster for breaking promises to Angus farmers just weeks after the end of the Brexit transition period.
The UK Government has announced plans to consult on the introduction of gene-editing, despite commercial planting of GM crops currently being banned in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Despite the ban, the UK Internal Market Bill allows the overriding of Scottish Ministers in certain areas – including farming and food standards.
Without EU protection, the SNP insist, the Tories are now threatening to overrule the devolved administrations and drive down Scotland’s high-quality food standards.
Furthermore, the proposal to introduce the pesticide neonicotinoid represents the explicit breaking of Michael Gove’s promise not to U-turn on this. The pesticide is used for sugar beet but is harmful to bees.
Commenting, Graeme said:
“Just days on from the end of the transition period, we have the Tory UK Government threatening to impose GM crops on Scotland despite the existing ban and despite agriculture being devolved.
“They have broken their promise to farmers here in Angus, as they have broken their promise to fishermen.
“Here we see the realities of the power-grabbing Internal Market Bill, which could end up doing great damage to the reputation of Scottish and Angus produce as world-renowned on quality.
“If the Tories refuse to heed the warnings of farmers here in Angus and across the country, it becomes yet clearer that we can only protect our interests as an independent European nation.”
