Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1539

The EU's Commissioner responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries is confident legislation governing the approval and labeling of biotech foods will ease consumer hostility toward the technology.

European Union Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fishchler was on hand yesterday in Winnipeg for World Meat Congress 2004.

He says the sensitivity of European consumers to genetically modified products made it necessary to create legislation that could clarify the issue.

"We have now a new authorization system which works and is in practice. We recently approved two new genetically modified varieties, there are some others in the pipeline and we will also continue to approve these other products.

In addition to that there's a labeling system in place so that the consumers have a choice whether they accept products containing GMOs or they don't accept such products.

They have the free choice to buy what they want. I think, if we go further down this path, the hostility against GMOs will be reduced in Europe".

Fischler says the new legislation also clears the way for the commission to force any EU member states to discontinue any bans on genetically modified foods already in place.

He says not all members states have bans in place but those that do will have to eliminate them.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.