- "When insurers quantify GM crops in the same category
as thalidomide, asbestos and terrorism, no thinking farmer should risk
their business and public reputation by taking on this unproven, unwanted
and unnecessary technology."
-
-
- The major agricultural insurance companies are refusing
to insure farmers who intend to grow genetically modified crops, according
to a survey that deals a further blow to Government hopes of approving
at least one crop for commercial cultivation next year.
-
- The survey, conducted by working farmer members of Farm,
a campaign group, found insurance companies unwilling to take on the risk
of liability claims against farmers who grew GM crops.
-
- Leading rural insurance underwriters told the farmers
that they were concerned that "GM could be like thalidomide - only
after some time would the full extent of the problems be seen".
-
- Some spoke of the potential of lawsuits akin to the big
payouts for asbestos-exposure victims.
-
- "Fifty years ago, insurers were writing policies
for asbestos without a care in the world. Now they are facing claims of
hundreds of millions of pounds," one underwriter told the farmers.
-
- "The insurance industry has learned to be wary of
new things, and there is a real feeling that GM could come back and bite
you in five years' time."
-
- Rural insurers are so concerned at the scope for liability
claims if the Government approves GM crops that they are even refusing
to insure non-GM farmers against losses or liability due to contamination
by GM pollen.
-
- The problem of how to grow GM crops and conventional
varieties has proved to be such a difficult issue to resolve that the Prime
Minister's advisers have repeatedly failed to reach a consensus.
-
- The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission,
which advises the Government, is expected to deliver a much-delayed report
on co-existence by the end of the month.
-
- All the insurers surveyed felt that too little was known
about the long-term effects on human health and the environment to be able
to offer any form of cover for farmers growing GM crops.
-
- Even NFU Mutual, the insurance arm of the National Farmers'
Union, which is in favour of GM crops, will not provide insurance for farmers
wanting to grow GM crops. A spokesman said the company believed the risks
were not fully understood and advised farmers to seek cover through the
biotechnology companies that own the patent to GM seeds.
-
- Agricultural Insurance Underwriters Agency, which underwrites
policies for Norwich Union and Sun Alliance, said it had an exclusion clause
for liability arising from GM crops.
-
- Rural Insurance Group, which underwrites Lloyds policies,
puts GM crops in the same bracket as acts of terrorism and excludes them
from cover.
-
- BIB Underwriters Limited, which underwrites AXA policies,
said it would turn down any policy that has any association with GM, including
cover for farm building and property insurance as well as public liability.
A spokesman said that aside from the problems of cross contamination, BIB
anticipated a risk of claims associated with arson or vandalism due to
anti-GM protesters.
-
- Robin Maynard, the national co-ordinator of Farm, said:
"When insurers quantify GM crops in the same category as thalidomide,
asbestos and terrorism, no thinking farmer should risk their business and
public reputation by taking on this unproven, unwanted and unnecessary
technology."
-
- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003.
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