French protesters destroy engineered Monsanto crop
RTw 10.09.98 19:54
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PARIS, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Campaigners opposed to genetic engineering swooped in on a test
site belonging to U.S.-based Monsanto Co (MTC.N) in southern France on Thursday and ripped
up showcase crops of maize and soya, a French farm union said.
Some 200 activists took part in the destruction of an unspecified number of experimental
land plots at Monbequi in the Tarn et Garonne province near the Pyrenees, the union said,
adding there would be further protests to try to get the crops banned.
Monsanto was not immediately available for comment.
French environmentalists widened a campaign against gene crops after Prime Minister Lionel
Jospin last month approved the sale of two kinds of gene-modified maize or corn, including
one developed by Monsanto.
Under European Union rules, Jospin's decision opened the door to imports to the rest of
the EU and Thursday's report coincided with fresh shipments of U.S. gene corn to Spain.
Confederation Paysanne, one of France's rare left-wing farm unions, said its action had
disrupted a Monsanto "open day" designed to increase public support for genetic
engineering.
"Monsanto is not afraid to call this a new green revolution. In fact, it's more to do
with green dollars," the union said in a statement.
The reported action echoed similar protests against genetic test sites in Britain last
month.
Critics of genetically modified crops -- engineered to resist pests or tolerate extra
herbicide -- say the crops could damage human health and spread their genes to the
environment.
Developers say the high-yielding crops are safe and will help farmers provide secure food
supplies in years to come.
A panel of French voters consulted by parliament in the run-up to Jospin's decision gave
guarded support to genetic food but voiced fears about techniques used to develop it.
Polls show food safety remains a sensitive political issue following the 1996 crisis over
health risks from mad cow disease in British beef, which ecologists blame on trying to
fool nature.