Nigeria Pleads for Labels on GM Foods

Globe and Mail 3may01

OTTAWA -- Third World countries were cited as pleading yesterday with Canada and the United States to label the genetically modified foods they export, saying they won't be able to cope if the foods prove dangerous. Noting that many scientists are worried that the human food supply could be contaminated by the proliferation of genetically modified crops, Nigeria was cited as asking a United Nations body meeting in Ottawa yesterday to introduce strict labelling rules quickly. If it ever turns out that GM foods do present a health hazard, African nations will be hardest hit, Nigerian delegate Tseaa Shambe told the UN Codex Alimentarius (Latin for food labelling) conference.

The story says that other developing nations, particularly India, echoed Nigeria's impassioned push for comprehensive, mandatory labelling of all GM foods. However, nations that produce such foods -- notably Canada, the United States and Argentina -- stalled progress toward an international labelling agreement during yesterday's meetings.

Canada, which has chaired the meetings annually since the mid-1990s, cut off the labelling debate early in the afternoon, promising a longer debate at the next meeting, a year from now in Halifax. This year's conference began on Tuesday and runs until tomorrow, but yesterday was the only opportunity to debate the labelling of GM foods. Progress on the issue has been incremental since the mid-1990s.