Germany bans GM maize

Germany is to ban the cultivation of GM maize. This decision was announced on Tuesday by German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner. Ms Aigner, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), said she had concluded that there was a justifiable reason to believe that MON 810 presented a danger to the environment. The variety has been allowed in Germany since 2005, BBC reports. Ms Aigner said the decision to ban the maize now was a scientific, not a political one and that this was a specific case, and not a fundamental decision against all GM crops. Germany was planning to sow MON 810 on 3,600 hectares, mostly in its eastern states.
 

The biotech industry claims that the crops are as safe as traditional varieties. Opponents of GM crops, however, state that more scientific data is needed, arguing that their long-term genetic impact on humans and wildlife could be harmful. The maize is seen controversial in the EU. In March this year, EU governments resisted European Commission pressure to get bans on MON 810 lifted. The UK was among a handful of countries that supported the commission's position.
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk