Genetically modified potatoes have been approved by Brussels. Google GM potatoes and see the many sites on the subject. They say the BASF (a German biotech company) amflora potato is not for human consumption and will be mainly used for pulp in paper-making. That's all very well, but the risk of contamination of other crops is high. According to this up-to-the-minute Reuters report France is, at least, being extremely cautious, but the French farm minister wants across-the-board agreement on GM in Europe which doesn't augur well. The debate is likely to rumble on but it's important to remain vigilant.
Anyone who saw the documentary 'The World According to Monsanto' ('Le Monde Selon Monsanto') will know how dangerous the introduction of genetic modification really is and what this biotech giant, Monsanto, has been up to. If you didn't catch the documentary on TV and are anxious to find out what's going on, you can get the DVD or the book from Amazon here.
GM (OGM in France) products are already sneaking into loads of foods - GM soya, one of the principle modified crops, is frequently listed among ingredients of processed foods, including the most unlikely. When we asked a local farmer what he feeds his pigs, he said maize and soya from Brazil - it may not be GM but the chances are strong it is and anyway, soya cultivation as animal feed is causing the destruction huge tracts of rain forest. No, not all soya is GM but it's still advisable to carefully read the label when not buying organic.
For those who are concerned and want more info on the subject, there are loads of sights about the dangers of GM. Try this one from Friends of the Earth.
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