By James Kanter
Opponents of gene-altered crops won a victory in France when the
country's top court upheld a ban - for the time being - on a corn variety
produced by the U.S. seed company Monsanto.
Growers had argued that the economic harm they faced was serious
enough for the month-old ban to be lifted immediately, before the start of
the spring planting season. In addition, proponents said allowing plantings
could benefit consumers at a time of rising food prices.

The Conseil d'État maintained the ban on the variety, known as MON810,
until it could rule on its scientific underpinning. Hearings in that case
are expected to be held in the coming months.

In his ruling, Judge Jean-Marie Delarue pointed out that a report,
issued in January by a committee of French experts, had called for more
studies on the product's safety.

French officials were correct to have paid attention to "new elements
brought to light by the committee that could be seen as posing a grave risk
to the environment," Delarue wrote.

The decision was a success for environmentalists and for farmers
opposed to genetically modified food products. They had warned that the
corn, which resists pests, could pollute other crops and pose threats to the
environment and human health.

Other farmers, backed by the biotechnology industry, argue that the
products could help lower costs and reduce the use of pesticides.

"We are disappointed," said Stéphanie Piécourt, a spokeswoman for
Monsanto in France. Corn growers "will not be able to benefit from the
economic, agricultural and environmental advantages that this product
offers."

In January, President Nicolas Sarkozy recommended banning MON810, and
on Feb. 7, the French Agriculture Ministry imposed the ban, saying it should
remain in place until a review of the product - required every 10 years -
was completed by EU authorities.

Efforts to overturn the ban were led by the General Association of
Corn Growers in France and a number of biotechnology companies including
Monsanto and Pioneer, a division of the U.S. chemical company DuPont.

Cédric Poeydomenge, a spokesman for the French association of corn
growers, said farmers had hoped to plant 100,000 hectares, or 247,000 acres,
using the pest-resistant corn.

He said farmers would plant nonmodified corn this year, but would face
?10 million, or $15.6 million, in potential losses from pests and from
purchasing large amounts of insecticide.

Poeydomenge said only about 22,000 hectares were planted with MON810
last year although product was appropriate for use on 700,000 hectares of
France, in regions affected by pests that include Poitou-Charentes,
Midi-Pyrénées and the Rhône Valley.

France plants a total annual crop of about 3 million hectares of corn
for food use and for feeding cattle, Poeydomenge said.

Battles over gene-altered crops have been fought across Europe for
more than a decade but there now are signs that some governments and
policymakers are prepared to ease long-standing opposition.

Nathalie Moll of Europabio, an industry association in Brussels, said
she expected MON810 to be cultivated this year in at least seven EU
countries including Spain and Germany. MON810 has been used in the United
States for more than a decade.

Officials at the European Commission have deemed many genetically
modified products safe and want to introduce more of them into the bloc to
normalize trade relations with countries like the United States, and to
reduce costs for farmers.

But several governments, including those in Austria and France, are
extremely wary of softening their stance on genetically modified foods
because of continuing distrust among many citizens who consider gene-altered
products to be "Frankenstein" foods.


[www.iht.com]