7 February 2002

THREE OUT OF FOUR SWEDISH FARMERS WILL NOT CONSIDER GMO SEEDS

An opinion poll shows 77 per cent of Swedish farmers will not consider growing GMO crops on their land. In 1998, when this annual poll was first conducted, the figure was 70 per cent.

Answers vary slightly according to region, with small farm and animal farming regions more negative. But even in the least negative region, 74 per cent of farmers come out against.

Conversely, only 15 per cent explicitly state that they are positive to growing GMOs. This figure is down by several percentage points since 1998. Interestingly, 'Don't know' answers are also down. Less than 10 per cent of farmers do not take a stand.

The poll was conducted on a statistical sample of 1 000 farmers with over 20 hectares of arable land in December 2001. It was done for the farming weekly ATL, and published in their 18 January issue.

EKOLOGISKA LANTBRUKARNA
[Swedish Association of Ecological Farmers]
Peter Einarsson
Björkeryd
SE-360 13 Urshult
Sweden
Ph & fx +46 477 401 60