GMCC: coexistence between genetically
modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural supply chains
The GMCC is a series of biannual international scientific conferences on "Coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural supply chains". GMCC conferences gather the multidisciplinary scientific community involved in researching how agricultural supply chains can adapt to novel regulatory and market-driven coexistence requirements world-wide. GMCC conferences also serve policy-makers to access the latest scientific results and identify future research needs with policy relevance.
The number of countries cultivating GM crops, and the global area devoted to them, is increasing, as is the number of domestic and international regulatory frameworks governing them. Worldwide, introduction of GM crops in the agricultural supply chain is increasingly being linked to the concept of "coexistence" with non-GM crops, to ultimately provide consumers with freedom of choice. The term coexistence is now used internationally in scientific, market and regulatory discussions, often with different meanings and covering different stages of the agricultural supply chain.
Coexistence is about protecting farmers and all stakeholders in the supply chain from the possible economic consequences of accidental mixing of GM and non-GM crops or derived products. Coexistence strategies need science-based technical measures and organisational changes that are economically feasible, with the aim to reduce admixtures at each step of the production chain in respect to various defined thresholds. The complexity of supply chains, the variability in labelling and traceability requirements for differing genetically modified organism (GMO) events authorised worldwide, represents an additional challenge for the design of practical coexistence strategies and best agricultural practices. This task involves scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders from across the entire agricultural supply chain. In the long term, failure in achieving practical coexistence will impact diffusion of new technologies in agriculture and potentially global trade in agricultural products.
This web page is the portal to the current and previous editions of the GMCC conference series:
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The "First European conference on
co-existence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic
crops" (GMCC‑03) took place
in 2003 in
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The "Second international conference on
co-existence between GM and non-GM based agricultural supply chains" (GMCC‑05)
took place in 2005 in
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The "Third international conference on
coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural
supply chains" (GMCC‑07) took place
in 2007 in
§ A "Fourth international conference on coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural supply chains" (GMCC‑09) is planned for November 2009 in Melbourne, Australia; more information can be found on this page as soon as it becomes available.