SCOTLAND’S world-class food and drink exports could be hit with a horse-meat-style scandal if Labour push through legislation left in limbo by the last Tory government, it has been warned.
It comes after Food Minister Daniel Zeichner told a World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit it was “critical to drive forward” the Conservative legislation that would introduce genetically modified foods onto UK shelves for the first time – without the requirement to label them as such.
Campaigners have called on Zeichner to instead live up to his word and bring in the robust regulation and mandatory labelling that he argued for before entering government – when he branded the Tories’ legislation “vague” and “thin”.
Scottish Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie reiterated his Government’s opposition to genetically modified crops in Scotland – and told the Sunday National he would raise the issue of labelling directly with the UK Government.
The Labour Government has said they are “reviewing the evidence” around the need to label genetically modified foods but did not commit to bringing it in.
As it stands, the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Act, which became law in March 2023, is largely “skeletal”, Beyond GM director Pat Thomas explained. It only allows for limited test plantings of crops deemed to be “gene-edited” or “precision-bred” – a term which Zeichner himself said had “been invented by the [Conservative] government for their convenience and is a misnomer”.
No such distinctions exist in EU or Scots law. However, under the UK Internal Market Act, any genetically modified foods produced in England cannot legally be barred from shelves in the devolved nations.
“So there now exists this draft secondary legislation drafted by the previous government. Labour's choice is to take that secondary legislation and just push it through parliament, or stop and pay attention.”
Shane Holland, the UK executive chair of the global campaign group Slow Food, warned that unlabelled genetically modified food in the UK market could have a major impact on Scotland’s food and drink exports.
“The value of food and drink to Scotland, I don’t have to tell you, is a very, very, very significant part of your economy and that potentially is at risk,” Holland said.
“If you wish to export food to a country which does not allow [genetically modified food], how is that going to work for a Scottish producer who won't actually know what's in the ingredients they're using?
“You could have a position whereby you suddenly had genetically modified barley going into whisky … and then having an enormous scare about whisky and whisky quality. This could really knock consumer confidence in a vast way because of the labelling.
“For me, the lack of labelling is akin to what we had with horse meat. It's about consumers knowing what's there and not there.”
Thomas issued a similar warning over trade with Europe, saying: “One thing we do know is that even if the EU changes its approach to regulation for gene-edited products, they're very unlikely to let go of labelling.
“If that's the case, then our businesses over here who want to produce gene-edited products won't be able to sell them in Europe.”
Both Thomas and Holland stressed that they were not campaigning against genetically modified foods entering the UK market, saying that with the passing of the 2023 act that chance had gone.
Instead, the campaigners are focusing on pushing Labour to “actually follow through and do what they say they wanted to do”.
Holland added: “Labour in opposition said that they were pro-labelling and that labelling would be sensible. It's almost as though the discussion that we had before the election didn't take place.”
“Regulation of genetic modification is an area of devolved responsibility and I expect full cooperation in matters where any legislation relating to genetic modification will impact upon the interests of Scottish businesses and consumers.
“I plan to raise the issue of labelling with the UK Government following their announcement that they will proceed with secondary legislation on precision breeding.”
A Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “Unlocking precision breeding will boost Britain’s food security, support nature’s recovery and protect farmers from climate shocks.
“We are reviewing evidence on labelling for precision-bred products and will ensure information about which precision-bred plants are approved is available to the public.”
