Morrisons to sell GM-fed poultry

The decision gives farmers in a hard-pressed sector a way to cut costs – although they will almost inevitably get less for GM-fed produce – and will give other retailers a useful test of public sensitivity to the issue. It also exposes an illogical situation.

Asda went the same way as Morrisons in 2010 and reports no discernible loss of custom. But Sainsbury and Tesco still insist on no GM feed for poultry and eggs. Everyone insists on it for products labelled organic. And the Sainsbury’s guarantee also covers farmed salmon and the Taste The Difference range of pork, bacon and beef.

The list reflects a confused situation. The requirement for GM-free poultry is common, since a supermarket competition in 2001, when GM was in the headlines and a feed maker came up with a GM-free hen food.

But no such requirements are generally made for other livestock – dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep or pigs – unless they want organic certification. And GM ingredients or GM-fed ingredients are becoming common in all sorts of processed food.

When the pledges on poultry were made, it was thought the public might eventually want more similar guarantees.

It became unrealistic or un-necessary to stop the spread of GM feed in general but it was politically awkward to go back on the ban for poultry.

David Evans, head of agriculture at Morrisons, said: “The cost of feed is the major item of expenditure for most livestock farmers. Uniquely, poultry farmers have faced restrictions on the use of GM feed, but this policy will be increasingly difficult and costly to maintain as the availability of non-GM protein (namely soy) decreases.

“We are moving to permit the use of GM feed in the poultry supply chain and are strengthening the focus on sustainability.

“This move will also allow us to manage food inflation and keep costs down for customers.”

That last line suggested Morrisons would pay less for GM-fed, as big egg packers already do. The company said its payments to farmers were confidential information.

The NFU welcomed the move, saying: “The availability of non-GM soya is declining all the time. This move will help make poultry production more sustainable. We would like to see other supermarkets follow suit.”

Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett said: “They’re moving in the wrong direction from a reputational point of view. Sooner or later customers will tell Morrisons they want to buy their poultry elsewhere.”

And the GM Freeze campaign pointed to a Which? survey in 2011 that found 70 per cent of consumers supported a bar on GM ingredients in animal feed.