" Despite EU regulators last month thwarting the expansion of the world’s largest seed corporation, it appears Germany won’t escape new GMO crops. A spokesman for EU health and consumer policy commissioner, Toni Borg, told RT that “the approval of SmartStax maize is expected in September or October.” SmartStax GM maize was developed in the US by Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences. It combines the genes of two already genetically modified maize varieties. SmartStax is resistant to two types of herbicides and poisons against six different species of insects, such as the European corn borer. The seed includes eight artificially added genes – previously, the biggest number of such genes added to a single plant was three. (really!!) While Monsanto look likely to win this round, the corporation has dropped its bid to get more genetically modified crops onto the European market, due to “widespread popular opposition.” If the SmartStax gets the green light, it will be in line with France’s decision to re-open the door to Monsanto products. In early August, one of the country’s top administrative courts reversed a ban on genetically modified MON810 corn, which had been in place since March 2012. The court explained that the EU moratorium on the GMO corn lacked a legal basis."
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 01:10:40 +0000