VIDEO INTERVIEWS
MARIA GRACIA MAMMUCINI
Maria Gracia Mammucini is the Director of the Regional Government of Tuscany's Agency for Agriculture.
Tuscany became a founding member of the European network of GMO-free regions after banning the cultivation of GM crops in 2000. The current law prohibits the cultivation of GM crops and as well as the procurement by state agencies of food containing GMO ingredients.
TRANSCRIPT: (slightly edited for clarity)
Michael O'Callaghan
How did Tuscanyís establish its law to prohibit the cultivation of GMO crops?
Maria Gracia Mammucini
We made this law in 2000 for two reasons. The first is the Precautionary Principle, since not enough is yet known about GMOs. The second reason is to foster the Region of Tuscanyís quality food produce, which is developed locally for the mutual benefit of farmers and the Region, and which is incompatible with GMOs.
So what exactly does this law prohibit?
It forbids the cultivation of GMO crops in Tuscany, and also forbids the procurement by public bodies of any food containing GM ingredients. It has also established a system of controls and sanctions to ensure compliance with the law.
Is it endorsed by the national government of Italy?
The national government interpreted the EC Directive on ěco-existenceî [of GM crops with conventional and organic farming] with a position that delegates the plans for ěco-existenceî to the Regions, thus also including the provision to declare their territories GMO-free. Italian law thus enables us to maintain GMO-free regions on our national territory.
Has this movement spread to other Italian Regions and Provinces?
Indeed, the GM-free movement enjoys broad consensus thoughout Italy, because we are the nation of food culture, of gastronomy. Our rural communities have so many typical local products, not just food but also cultures and local identities of place to which the entire population is very closely tied. 14 of our 20 Regions have already declared themselves GMO-free. This movement is thus very widespread, and now involves many local authorities which have also declared themselves GM-free.
Do you expect these GM-free areas will soon cover the whole of Italy?
We feel that the conditions for GM agriculture do not exist in Italy, because our enterprises are too small to guarantee ěco-existenceî and they do not accept, for example, the pollution of organic farmers and of the quality food producers who must safeguard their denomination of origin. Moreover, if you add to these the system of ecologically sensitive areas which are protected under regional, national and European laws, our territory simply rejects the possibility of growing GM crops!
Have you any message for the farmers and people of Ireland?
I recommend that all countries of Europe should avoid growing GM crops. Europe is tied to a tradition of rural agriculture characterized by a very strong sense of local identity. GMO crops reduce this diversity by making it all homogenous. Europeís beauty lies in its great diversity. Together we can build a Europe of diverse peoples who are united by common principles. There is no need to eliminate our differences and Europe should value them.
May GM crops never be grown in Ireland or anywhere else in Europe!
