GMO free regions and biodiversity Conference

1
GMO free regions and biodiversity Conference

• Regional and local marketing of non-GMO quality
  products
• Workshop
• Luca Colombo
• Consiglio dei Diritti Genetici Genetic Rights
  Council, Italy

2
Regional and local marketing of non-GMO quality
products

• Range
• Geographical indications and designations of
  origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
  (EU Regulation 2081/92)
• Typical and traditional productions
• Organic and biodinamic produce
• Mountain product (new denomination in Italy
• for PDOs and PGIs)
• Slow Food Presidia

3
Quality products under Reg. 2081/92
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the
protection of geographical indications (PGI) and
designations of origin (PDO) for agricultural
products and foodstuffs
No mention of bans for transgenic organisms in
the Regulation
4
Italian products under Reg. 2081/92
5
A few famous citations

• Cheeses
• Gorgonzola (Lombardy, Piemonte)
• Grana Padano (Lombardy, Piemonte, Veneto,
  Trentino, Emilia-Romagna)
• Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (Lazio, Campania)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Emilia-Romagna)
• Pecorino Sardo (Sardinia)
• Fruit, vegetables and cereals
• San Marzano tomatoes from Agro Samese-Nocerino
  (Campania)
• Pantelleria capers (Sicily)
• Sorrento lemons (Campania)
• Processed meats
• Parma ham (Emilia-Romagna)
• San Daniele ham (Friuli-V.G.)

6
Lazio region case PDOs and PGIs already
registered in EU

7
Lazio region case pending PDOs and PGIs in
Bruxelles (with national transitional protection)
or in Rome

8
Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano cases

• Parmigiano (Parmesan) from 3 provinces in Emilia
  Romagna
• Quality as a whole hindering the development
  of extra quality lines e.g.
  non-GMO, Organic, Reggiana cow milk (local
  landrace instead of Holstein)
• Recent change of production protocol excluding
  chimase obtained from GM bacteria, BUT not
  excluding GM animal feed
• Grana from the entire Padana plain
• Trentingrana brand (Trentino province) is a
  non-GM Grana, but it is not marketed as such in
  order to avoid putting the blame on the bulk of
  Grana production
• Parmigiano and Grana Common problems
• no protein plan and no agricultural research
  to replace soybean in animal feed

9
Italian EU patent Directive transposition(not
completed as of January 2005)

• The project law foresees under Letter s) that
  the patent applicant
• must obtain the prior opinion of the Ministry
  of Agriculture in the case where the patent
  request is made for the use or modification of
  genes of Italian conservation varieties, or of
  organic material referred to in the protocols
  adopted in Italy in conformity with Regulations
  2081/92 on the protection of geographical
  indications and designations of origin for
  agricultural products and foodstuffs. The
  Ministry must express its opinion after
  consultation with the interested producers'
  associations within ninety days of the reception
  of the patent request.

10
Italian wines
11
Italian quality wines

• Project law in the Italian Chamber changes of
  the regulation on origin denomination of quality
  wines
• Art. 1.
• Use of origin denominations (DOC, DOCG, IGT) is
  not allowed in case of utilisation of GM grape
  varieties

12
Organic farming in Italy
13
Organic farming worldwideSource Sol-Survey, 2003
14
Organic Market and marketing channels for organic
produce
La spesa pro-capite allinterno dellUE nel 2000
è stata
Country
Source The specialized trade for organic
products in Europe, Synergie, 2002
Sources Itc, Sol, USDA, FAO
15
New (tentative) trends in organic marketing

• Short circuits
• Direct sell in the farm or in local markets and
  fairs
• Solidal Buying Groups (Gruppi di Acquisto
  Solidale)
• The GODO (organised groups of supply and demand)
  campaign relevant focus on GMOs
• AIAB (main national organic association) has a
  desk and a toll free number for consumers and
  farmers interested in networking

16
Organic agriculture and GMOs

• Main concern for organic productions
• Soybean and animal feed
• AIAB (main national organic association) proposed
  a moratorium on soybean for organic farms
• No research (and sufficient production) of
  alternative protein sources
• Other current and future serious problems
• Seed contamination (contaminations already
  occurred at minor extent with maize)
• European plan of action (thresholds)
• Coexistence
• Analytical tests
• Certification bodies deny certificates with gt0.1
  contamination
• Technical regulation imposing an annual updated
  database with GM analytical responses

17
Traditional and typical agri-food products in
Italy

• Products with a protected designation of origin
  or geographical indication represent only a small
  part of Italys traditional foods the national
  register of traditional agri-food products
  published by the Ministry for Agricultural lists
  in 2004 some 4,006 products.
• No constant strict linkage between the product
  and the genetic resource from which it originates

18
Tuscan regional law on autochthon seeds

• International Treaty on Plant Genetic
  Resources for Food and Agriculture FAO 2001
• Law no. 111 of the 6.04.2004 (ratifying the
  ITPGRFA)
• 7 years of experience (1997-2004)

Regional Law n. 369 Protection and valorisation
of local varieties and landraces
Only 5 Regional laws in Italy on indigenous
genetic resources Toscana (1997), Lazio (2000),
Umbria (2001), Friuli Venezia Giulia (2002),
Marche (2003)
19
Slow Food Presidia and traditional foods
The Slow Food Presidia Project Technical
assistance (consultancy of veterinarians,
agronomists etc.) Stabilization of a rigorous
production protocol to guarantee quality and
authenticity Creation of a cooperative of
farmers Promotion through Slow Food
publications Assistance in marketing
20
A Slow Food Presidium acts as a cultural matrix,
bringing together territory and product,
typicality and quality, in which the term
environment finds its clearest expression as
the context of life in the local community. -
excerpt from study by Bocconi University, 2002
In Italy, from 2000 - 2002, the growth in market
share Presidia projects far outpaced that of
sector growth. Of 54 Presidia studied in six
areas of production in the two years studied,
average growth was as follows Quantities sold
63.5 Price per unit 32.6
21
Genetic engineering for quality products
Authors and editor of the book among the most
outspoken biotech supporters GMOs are a
logical solution for quality products at
risk No real impact on GM debate, despite
sponsored by the President of the Ag. Committee
in the Chamber Reg. 2081/92 quote on PDOs -
PGIs traditional character and exceptional
reputation
22
Perceived quality the case of transgenic
wheat The P factor pasta, pizza, pane (bread)
Wheat touches cultural values Wheat is
essentially for food (not for feed as current GM
commodities) Wheat is a daily staple Global
reaction to GM wheat Monsanto withdrew RR
wheat Quality is a broad concept
23
Moral quality (of food)
24
We are what we eat Thank you