After passing an act, in May this year, banning the import and trading of
GM seeds, the Polish Senate and Sejm (upper and lower hoses) have now passed
an Act on animal fodder. The Act, passed on July 22 2006," bans the
production, the putting into circulation and the use of genetically modified
fodder and genetically modified organisms destined for fodder use in animal
feeding." The ban will be in force within 24 months.

This is another huge step forward in the battle against GMO in Poland. It
will reverse the current reliance on GM soya and maize in pig,
poultry and dairy production on the larger Polish farms and will also
protect smaller farms from unwittingly purchasing GM feed.
Poland is more than capable of producing all the fodder required to maintain
current livestock levels and to be self sufficient in indigenous,
traditional (non soya) animal feeds. Food quality and consumer health will
benefit through being  protected from the residual effects of feeding
animals on GM products, giving Poland a leading position as a GMO free food
producer.

!!! ICPPC has consistently pressed for a ban of all GMO products in Polish
agriculture with strong support from Provincial authorities, some
politicians, farmers, international activists and other organisations. In
the latest situation, it was possible to introduce a key 'no GMO'
ammendement to the animal feed act just before it was put to the vote in the
upper house/Senat/ of the Polish parliament and then accepted by the lower
house/Sejm/. In many ways, an astonishing event.

!!! The significance of this Polish initiative is bound to have
repercussions right accross Europe and it remains to be seen what the
European Commission will make of such resistance!  Whatever results, we hope
it will give new heart to all who continue the battle for a GMO Free Europe,
often in a climate of official repression and intimidation. Two years ago it
was (almost) unthinkable to believe that Poland might lead the anti-GMO way
in Europe. But it is now a reality and gives all of us a great opportunity
to push our respective governments to take similar actions.