French ban on US strain of GM corn

Published February 10, 2008

PARIS, Feb 9: France officially imposed on Saturday a ban on a strain of genetically modified (GM) corn produced by the US agribusiness giant Monsanto, with the publication of an agriculture ministry order in the state’s official journal.

“The growing of corn seeds ... derived from genetically modified corn strain Mon 810 is prohibited on [French] territory,” read the order signed by Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier. Monsanto’s 810 maize had been the only GM crop grown in France, but the French government last month began moving to ban its further use after a watchdog authority said it had “serious doubts” about the product in a report that has been controversial even among the scientists who put it together.

The agriculture ministry order said the ban would remain in force until a decision was taken whether to renew the authorisation for the GM strain to be sold on the French market.

French corn farmers have already said they planned to challenge the ban in court.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

IHK resolution
08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

IF the Indian state is serious about its democratic credentials, then it should listen to the voices emanating from...
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...
Trump 2.0
Updated 07 Nov, 2024

Trump 2.0

It remains to be seen how his promises to bring ‘peace’ to Middle East reconcile with his blatantly pro-Israel bias.
Fait accompli
07 Nov, 2024

Fait accompli

A SLEW of secretively conceived and hastily enacted legislation has achieved its intended result: the powers of the...
IPP contracts
07 Nov, 2024

IPP contracts

THE government expects the ongoing ‘negotiations’ with power producers aimed at revising the terms of sovereign...