Irish dairy companies look to German non-GMO market

A seminar set to take place in Ireland later this month is being held to assist Irish dairy companies reach the German non-GMO market.

Irish certification body Cert ID Europe, and sister company Foodchain ID, are staging a seminar and training session on VLOG Ohne Gentechnik, a non-GM certification program that is likely to become an essential requirement for dairy exporters to the German market.

Ohne Gentechnik is a labeling mark used on finished product throughout Germany to denote that the product and its ingredients have been produced without genetic engineering. 

Food that has not been genetically modified is valued by consumers in Germany - for almost two decades repeated surveys have reported that between 70 and 80% of German consumers prefer GMO-free food.

Event on regulations

The one-day event is being held at Newbridge, County Kildare, on February 20, 2018, and will feature talks from Alexander Hissting, managing director of VLOG, who will explain about the standard and the benefits it can bring to Irish dairy farmers and producers to be certified when trading with Germany.

Dr Konstantin Rizos, from Genetic ID, in Germany, will speak about the scope of non-GMO testing involved in the certification process, while Stephen Kolek, Cert ID VLOG auditor will talk through the process involved in certification.