GM-free Ireland: how much is it worth?

THE article by Stephen Cadogan claiming that GM-free status could cost Ireland €40m (Farming, June 21) appears to have been based on a Teagasc report.

However, as that report — The Economic Evaluation of a GM-Free Country: An Irish Case Study — carries no publication date, I can only conclude from the title that it was published in 2005 using data from 2004 and before.

Developments in the GM field are rapid and it is, to say the least, unhelpful to use such dated data to estimate financial consequences of the absence of GM products in Irish agriculture and food production. Stephen Cadogan appears to be unaware of the ever-increasing market worldwide for guaranteed GM-free products.

Perhaps he could investigate the scope of this market. To the best of my knowledge, neither Bord Bia, Teagasc, nor any other food-connected authority, has looked at what the Irish economy as a whole could gain if the island of Ireland were declared a GM-free zone.

Richard Auler

Ladybird Organic Farm

Ballybrado

Cahir

Co Tipperary