argylesock says… I blog about GM (genetic modification, also called genetic engineering or GE) often. You can scroll down the article I reblog here for thoughts about the transatlantic trade negotiations which could undermine the ‘GM free’ status that many people in Europe are proud of. Political wrangling continues. ‘What could be emerging, then, is a situation in which the [European] Commission pursues a more liberalized trade path, while the [European] Council seeks to block the same path. Meanwhile, individual Member States appear to be pursuing their own paths.’ While this goes on, Europe keeps importing GM maize (corn, Zea mays) and soya (soybean, Glycine max) to feed livestock here.
A French court ruled yesterday that a ban on cultivation of Monsanto’s MON810 corn—genetically engineered to produce the natural Bt toxin poisonous to some insects—lacked a legal basis. While the corn variety was approved by the European Union in 1998, many EU Member States had imposed local bans. The ruling by the Council of State court, France’s highest administrative court, held that a ban “can only be taken by a member state in case of an emergency or if a situation poses a major risk” to the health of people or animals, or to the environment. French Agriculture Minister Stephane LeFoll, has indicated that the government intends to appeal the ruling. French President François Holland said that the moratorium on growing MON810 would remain in place despite the ruling.
Despite regulatory approval for a limited number of varieties by the European Union, resistance to genetically modified crops…
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