Farm inputs under pressure from the European 44 food industry

51 The rise of own-brand labels has made retailers more vulnerable and responsive to consumer 52 concerns. In response to widespread protest, the European food industry has sought to exclude 53 GM ingredients and to minimize pesticide usage from their supplies. In particular, retailers 54 have developed common practices or criteria for non-GM grain and lower-pesticide methods. 55 This cooperative approach has several aims: to maintain consumer confidence in product qual56 ity, to establish Europe-wide supply chains which meet common or minimum standards, to 57 make supplies interchangeable, and to avoid competition for ‘non-GM’ or ‘low-pesticide’ pro58 ducts defined in various ways. The consequent pressures on farm inputs go beyond national 59 boundaries, for both companies and farmers. Overall these commercial pressures favour non60 GM products which help reduce chemical pesticide sprays – e.g. pest-resistant seeds, seed 61 treatments, or biopesticides – especially for use as components of ICM methods. There remain 62 many difficulties in basing future products upon other novel seeds. Such constraints go beyond 63 any statutory restrictions on GM products or pesticides. Of course, government policy still 64 influences the use and innovation of farm inputs in Europe. Conversely, however, cooperative 65 efforts from the food industry there provide de facto criteria which could supersede or influence 66 government policy.  2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.