France Stands Up to Monsanto, Bans Seed Giant’s GMO Corn | Global Research

France Stands Up to Monsanto, Bans Seed Giant’s GMO Corn | Global Research

Genetically engineered corn is facing fierce resistant from both French environmentalists and country officials. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

On Saturday, France’s agriculture ministry temporarily banned the sale, use and cultivation of Monsanto’s MON 810 genetically engineered (GE) corn—the only variety that had been authorized in the European Union (EU).

The French government, which argues GE crops present environmental
risks, kept pushing to institute the new ban even after the country’s
highest court struck down similar measures in the past, according to Reuters.

“France’s reinstatement of its previous ban of Monsanto’s
controversial genetically engineered crop … is another encouraging sign
that the biotech industry’s iron grip on foreign government’s is
slipping and that resistance to these flawed products is continuing to
take hold,” said Dave Murphy, founder and executive director of Food Democracy Now!.

The decision was strategically timed to block the seasonal planting
of Monsanto’s corn by French farmers before a draft law is debated on
April 10, which is aimed at banning the cultivation of foods made with
genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

“The sale, use and cultivation of varieties of [Monsanto's corn seed]
… is banned in the country until the adoption, on the one hand, of a
final decision, and secondly, of European Union community action,” a
French decree stated.

The annual planting of corn in France typically gets under way in the second half of March.

The current Socialist government, like its conservative predecessor,
has repeatedly opposed the growing of GMO crops in light of public
suspicion and widespread protests from environmental groups.