Press & Journal
3 August 2009
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1335317?UserKey=
North MSP Rob Gibson wants agricultural show-goers to ask why pesticide residues were excluded from the Food Standards Agency’s recent nutritional study on organic and conventional food.
Pointing out that the organisation will have a stand at this week’s Black Isle Show at Muir of Ord, he said he was baffled by the omission when the main reason families buy organic is “to protect the environment”.
The SNP MSP for Highlands and Islands, and a co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on food, said: “The FSA needs to come clean about the real differences between organic and conventional food production.
“Their report last week showed no nutritional differences between the two, but excluded contaminant content such as herbicide, pesticide and fungicide residues from the desktop review.”
He said new figures revealed at the weekend showed that almost half of “conventional” food bought by consumers contained significant traces of pesticides.
“The SNP Government has won wide support for a national food policy, based on the natural methods widely practiced in this country,” he said.
“We need no muddying of the waters by the FSA, which has given the nod to GM animal feed, while undermining confidence in natural food.
“Surely the body charged with food safety has to explain how its muddled behaviour affects the aims of Scotland’s national food and drinks policy.”
3 August 2009
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1335317?UserKey=
North MSP Rob Gibson wants agricultural show-goers to ask why pesticide residues were excluded from the Food Standards Agency’s recent nutritional study on organic and conventional food.
Pointing out that the organisation will have a stand at this week’s Black Isle Show at Muir of Ord, he said he was baffled by the omission when the main reason families buy organic is “to protect the environment”.
The SNP MSP for Highlands and Islands, and a co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on food, said: “The FSA needs to come clean about the real differences between organic and conventional food production.
“Their report last week showed no nutritional differences between the two, but excluded contaminant content such as herbicide, pesticide and fungicide residues from the desktop review.”
He said new figures revealed at the weekend showed that almost half of “conventional” food bought by consumers contained significant traces of pesticides.
“The SNP Government has won wide support for a national food policy, based on the natural methods widely practiced in this country,” he said.
“We need no muddying of the waters by the FSA, which has given the nod to GM animal feed, while undermining confidence in natural food.
“Surely the body charged with food safety has to explain how its muddled behaviour affects the aims of Scotland’s national food and drinks policy.”
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