www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Ireland, Europe's biggest per capita consumer of potatoes, is weighing a
proposal by German chemicals group BASF to grow varieties that have been
genetically modified to resist disease. BASF asked the Environment
Protection Agency this week to approve a field trial of several strains of
GMO potato that are resistant to blight, the cause of the Irish potato
famine that killed one million people and forced two million to leave the
island in 1845.

Today, the Irish eat some 121 kg of potatoes per person every year, or
nearly 1,000 potatoes for every man, woman and child.

Previous trials of GMO foods in Ireland have been disrupted by
environmentalists who pulled up crops and damaged fields. The Green Party
and Sinn Fein both called for the application to be rejected.

"Genetically modified crops are likely to contaminate our conventional and
organic produce," said Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent. "But the Green
Party will continue to fight any predatory tactics of any GM food company,
to undermine the viability of Ireland as a green, clean food producing
island."

Blight-resistant GMO potatoes were first developed in 2003 after scientists
discovered a species of wild potato in Mexico that is naturally resistant to
the disease, then inserted the gene into commercial strains.

The EPA plans to review submissions from the public regarding potential
health and environmental risks within the next 28 days.

[today.reuters.com]

------------------------------------------
Posted to Phorum via PhorumMail