Cost of organic food 'could rise'

Sales of organic foods are soaring in the UK

Consumers may have to pay more for organic food to ensure it is completely free of genetically modified material, campaigners have said.

The warning comes after EU ministers agreed that food accidentally contaminated with up to 0.9% GM content could be labelled "GM free".

The UK's organic organisations have promised to maintain their higher standard of 0.1% of GM content.

But they warn it could push up the cost for farmers and consumers.

The Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers, which together certify more than 90% of the UK's organic food, say farmers and growers could incur extra costs as they seek to protect their crops from cross-contamination.

Consumers' trust

This in turn would push up prices - but campaigners say keeping the 0.1% threshold is in line with what customers want.

The Soil Association has called for GM firms to foot the bill for clearing up any future contamination of organic produce.

Policy director Peter Melchett said: "Either the cost to consumers will go up or they will lose the trust of consumers and their sales will go down."

Delegates from the Soil Association and a group of organic businesses are to discuss the issue with Environment Secretary David Miliband.

They will demand stronger safeguards for organic farms against contamination from neighbouring fields where GM crops are grown.