Activists Destroy GM Barley Field in Iceland

A field of genetically modified (GM) barley was destroyed by activists last week in Gunnarsholt, Southern Iceland, according to a report by Iceland Review. The field was the property of ORF Genetics, a start-up company that produces pharmaceuticals and medical research products from GM plants. Björn Lárus Örvar, ORF's CEO, told Iceland Review that the activists have caused the company millions in damage. "For a small company like ours, which is struggling in the difficult innovation environment, this is a serious matter." Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by a group of activists which calls itself Illgresi (weed in Icelandic).

Attacks on GM field trials have been common in Europe, particularly in Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Recently, environmental activists ripped up a field of nematode-resistant GM potatoes in Yorkshire, UK. The destruction caused more than USD 40,000 damage and wasted months of research.

The original article is available at http://icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16539&ew_0_a_id=338035