Comment by TraceConsult: At least one important source has now contributed an element of clarity to the confused debate about the zero tolerance issue in regards to commodity imports to the European Union containing even traces of unapproved GMOs and about fears that the GMO-free soy production will soon come to an end.
Specialty certifier Cert ID has continued the company tradition of publishing its annual volume statistics of Non-GMO certification. By focusing on this particular type of certification that is so much in need for the benefit of European commodity buyers – and by adding sustainability certification ProTerra in 2006 – this comparatively small certification body became the global leader in its field soon after it had launched this program in 1999.
This 2009 certification volumes overview, now also containing references to India and China, is downloadable from the company’s websites and soon also from TraceConsult’s. For years, the value of this annual document has been immense, inasmuch it has put into perspective the “professional” predictions of the commodity industry fear mongers and institutionalized pessimists, primarily those from Europe, who have issued annual warnings since the year 2000 that “within one or two seasons, at the most,” the availability of GM-free soybeans would come to an end.
What a way to be off target: Ten seasons later this market segment is not only still alive but kicking harder than ever before!
After 14.9 percent of last year’s total Brazilian soy crop was available certified by Cert ID as Non-GMO, in the 2009 crop, the percentage has risen to 16.3 percent. That is more than one sixth of the soy production of the world’s second largest soy producer! Since 2008, the document also uses figures provided by ABRANGE, the Brazilian industry association of Non-GM processors. In fact, at least in Brazil, the core clientele is recruited among ABRANGE members.
A little known but fascinating aspect is that practically the entire volume is also certified against the company’s ProTerra Standard. ProTerra fully integrates the elements of the Basel Criteria for Responsible Soy Production, including Non-GMO, a fact that has caused TraceConsult to raise the question more than once why platforms of lesser sustainability expression, such as the RTRS, are promoted and endorsed by the same organizations that helped launch the Basel Criteria. Both Greenpeace and the WWF have endorsed the ProTerra Standard.
All in all, the Cert ID release offers assurance and comfort to all those European producers and manufacturers working on consumer products carrying “GMO-free” claims. It also offers an opportunity to rejoice for all those who have enabled and supported the creation of this market segment.
http://www.cert-id.eu/News/A-decade-of-Cert-ID%E2%80%99s-Non-GMO-certification-succes.aspx (English)
http://www.cert-id.com.br/?p=548 (Portuguese)
One decade of Cert ID’s Non-GMO certification success story provides basis for European GMO-free claims
PR – Cert ID, Porto Alegre – RS, Brazil 2 September 2009
The Brazilian branch of Cert ID, pioneer and global market leader in specialty certifications like Non-GMO™ and ProTerra® certification for social responsibility and environmental sustainability has just published its tenth annual statistics overview of soy product certification volumes under its Non-GMO Standard.
From a combined certification volume of 420,000 metric tons of soybeans in 2000 the annual tonnage has risen to 9.36 (9.0) million tons of soybeans audited and available for certified crushing or shipment to export markets in the 2008-2009 harvest. That amounts to 16.3 (14.9) percent of the total Brazilian soybean crop of 57.3 (60.5) million tons.
All of this tonnage is certified against the Cert ID Non-GMO Standard, which stands for less than the detection limit of 0.1 percent GMO content and fully documented traceability (“Hard IP” in trading talk), allowing animal products such as poultry, dairy, pork etc. to carry the new GMO-free claims available now in some EU Member States (“Gentechnik-frei hergestellt” in Austria and “Ohne Gentechnik” in Germany). Additional European countries are currently preparing comparable legislation.
Legislators and market forces are thus recognizing the clear rejection of GMOs by European consumers in vegetable and animal food products. For more than ten years now, between 65 and 85 percent of consumers in most EU countries would rather purchase GMO-free food.
The availability of Cert ID Certified Non-GMO soy meal in the marketplace makes it possible for poultry, dairy, and meat producers to make GMO-free claims for their products.
Commodity importers as well as producers of animal nutrition face no mandatory labeling problems resulting from EU Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 and have an additional selling point to animal producers who want to make a “GMO-free” claim.
Since 2006, practically all of the soy products certified by Cert ID are also covered by the ProTerra Standard for certification of social responsibility and environmental sustainability. ProTerra fully integrates the Basel Criteria for Responsible Soy Production and carries endorsements from Greenpeace and the WWF.
Augusto Freire, CEO of Cert ID do Brasil points out, that “from the 2007 season onwards, practically all of our Brazilian certification clients were able to meet the ProTerra Standard as well and thus could offer both angles to their European clientele: Non-GMO and sustainability.” Richard Werran, Managing Director of Cert ID Europe, adds that this combination “is exactly what European retailers want for their supermarket customers.” A majority of EU consumers continue to prefer not to purchase GM foods. The first poultry fed on Cert ID certified soy meal and subsequently claimed as “Ohne Gentechnik” found its way to consumer dinner tables several months ago.
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2008 figures shown in brackets.
Contact
Further information from:
Augusto Freire
Managing Director
Cert ID do Brasil
Tel. +55 51 9117 8541
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Richard Werran
Managing Director
Cert ID Europe
Tel. +44 1827 874 849
info@cert-id.eu
Sandy Kepler
CEO
FoodChain Global Advisors
Tel. +1 641.469.6181
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Please note:
eNews and Background Info by TraceConsult™ are for information purposes only and come from sources we believe to be reliable. However, no liability can be assumed for the correctness of facts reported or any predictions made. Views and opinions expressed are entirely those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect those of TraceConsult.