February 20, 2012

Hungary destroys Monsanto's 1,000-acre GMO corn field

Hungary has destroyed Monsanto's 1,000 acres of corn found to have been grown with genetically modified seeds, stated the country's deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Lajos Bognar.

Unlike many EU countries, Hungary is a nation where genetically modified (GM) seeds are banned. In a similar stance against GM ingredients, Peru has also passed a 10-year ban on GM foods. Planetsave reports:

Almost 1,000 acres of corn found to have been ground with genetically modified seeds have been destroyed throughout Hungary, deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Lajos Bognar said. The GMO corn has been ploughed under, said Lajos Bognar, but pollen has not spread from the corn, he added.

Unlike several EU members, GMO seeds are banned in Hungary. The checks will continue despite the fact that seek traders are obliged to make sure that their products are GMO free, Bognar said. During the invesigation, controllers have found Pioneer Monsanto  products among the seeds planted.