The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry urged for the importance of “being very precise in the messages delivered to the population regarding the defence of regional productions.”

Noé Rodrigues spoke at the end of a hearing with the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores on the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), stressing the need for “true in public statements” as, in accordance to the legislation in force, producers are not required to ask for the Government’s permission to produce these organisms, but they must declare their intention of producing them, so that the official services may monitor these productions and even order their destruction if they do not comply with the regulations in force.

The Regional Secretary also highlighted the fact that the Azores has signed a letter of compliance in 2005 with the purpose of becoming a GMO production-free area. This subject is being currently analysed by the Member-States and the European Commission in order to change Community regulations that will be later transposed into national and regional legislations.

For Noé Rodirgues, the Region should continue to promote its productions for their quality and distinctiveness and for that reason it will be important to declare the Azores a GMO production-free area “to strengthen the promotion and enhancement of our productions in the market.”