Co-existence of GM and non GM crops: key principles for best management practices

July 1 2004 

Co-existence of GM and non GM crops: key principles for best management practices[1]

What is co-existence?

Co-existence generally refers to the economic consequences of adventitious presence of material from one crop into another and is related to the principle that farmers should be able to cultivate freely the crops of their choice using any production system they prefer (GM, conventional or organic).  It is NOT therefore a product/crop safety issue but relates solely to the production and marketing of crops approved for use.

When is co-existence an issue?

It becomes an issue only when there is a distinct, preferential demand for a crop with specific characteristics such as having been produced without the use of GM technology.  If there is no distinct, non GM demand, there is no (GM) co-existence issue.

Co-existence of different agricultural production systems is nothing new

Farm level practices (eg, separation of crops by space and time, communicating with neighbours, use of good husbandry, planting, harvest and storage practices) to enable successful co-existence have been practiced by many farmers (eg, seed producers and growers of specialist crops) for many years. 

Co-existence requires co-operation

Successful co-existence of different agricultural production systems requires mutual respect and shared responsibilities by all parties.  Responsibility for implementation of co-existence measures should involve both GM and non GM growers implementing appropriate management practices.

There are five key principles to good co-existence practice:

1. Context: It is important to determine the relative importance of different crop production systems based on planted area, production and economic value.  These properties are important considerations when assessing the likelihood of adventitious presence of material from one production system affecting another and the potential impacts.  Context is particularly important to the third principle of proportionality – see below
2. Consistency: Producers should be consistent in their behaviour towards the adventitious presence of all unwanted material, including GM derived material.  It is unrealistic to expect 100% purity for any crop/product so thresholds should be set for adventitious presence – these should be consistent across all materials and should not discriminate (eg, thresholds for adventitious presence of GM material should be the same as applied to thresholds for other unwanted material)
3. Proportionality: All co-existence measures established should be proportionate, non discriminatory and science-based
4. Equity: The issue of economic/marketing liability provisions that compensate non GM growers for adventitious presence of GM material is often raised in the co-existence debate.  Historically, the market has adequately addressed economic liability issues relating to the adventitious presence of unwanted material in any agricultural crop[2] by placing the onus on growers of specialist crops (eg, seed, organic) to take action to protect the purity of their crops (such growers usually being rewarded by higher prices for taking such actions).  If legislation was to be introduced that created new economic liability provisions for any negative economic consequences of adventitious presence of unwanted material, the same principle should apply to all farmers regardless of their chosen production methods.  On equity grounds, GM growers should have equal access to compensation for adventitious presence of material from conventional or organic crops as conventional and organic producers have from GM growers.  No one sector should be able to veto another – access and choice work both ways
5. Practicality: all co-existence measures should be based on legal, practical and scientific realities and not on commercial or campaign objectives  

Developing good co-existence in your locality

The tools exist to facilitate good co-existence.  These practices have been successfully enabling co-existence of GM and non GM crops (including organic) in North America since 1995 without government involvement.  If you apply the five key principles and adapt these to local circumstances on a crop by crop basis, effective co-existence practices can be developed on either a voluntary basis (for example, crop quality assurance schemes) or, if desired through statutory provisions.

PG Economics: http://www.pgeconomics.co.uk