Biotech Updates

Farmer Defies GM Crop Ban in Wales

February 6, 2009

Farmers Guardian reports that Welsh farmer Jonathan Harrington imported and planted transgenic maize varieties at his farm in Wales, a move that has outraged anti-GM campaigners and the Welsh Assembly. Nine years ago, the Welsh Assembly voted unanimously for a GM-free Wales. This is despite the European Union legislation allowing farmers to cultivate genetically modified maize. Harrington told Farmers Guardian that he planted the GM maize varieties “as an act of defiance to the Assembly’s childish attitude to GM food.”.Harrington also told the press that he gave GM maize seeds to two other farmers.

The insect resistant GM maize varieties which Harrington imported from Spain are on the EU common variety list, and as such it was legal to grow them anywhere in Europe. These varieties are grown in France, Germany, Spain and Czech Republic.

The Welsh Assembly admitted that despite its restrictive GM crop policy, it has no legal power to ban GM crops.

The full article is available at http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=19&storycode=24011&c=1