September 21, 2005

USDA: French corn growers show strong support for GM crops

During its annual conference in Bordeaux, the French Corn Growers Association strongly supported biotechnology.

The president of the corn growers called for the Minister of Agriculture to transpose as soon as possible EU Directive 2001/18 into French law, saying that the farmers have already developed expertise regarding the management of biotech and non-biotech crop coexistence, thanks to research works done by AGPM from 2002 to 2004.  

This support follows the disclosure by the French daily "Le Figaro"  (see Gain report FR5060) that up to 1000 hectares of biotech corn were planted in France this season. The audience cheered the French farmer, known as "Pierre", who publicly announced to the media that he grew GM corn and was happy with it.

Other speakers compared the activists who destroy GM tests plots to those opposed to abortion who burn down clinics and shoot doctors. Such a comparison is interesting because abortion opponents are highly unpopular in France.

Overall, most speakers expressed their fear that France (and the European Union) may be left behind on the path to progress. They mentioned that China and India have embraced biotechnologies and urged French and European governments not to let biotech research continue to lag.

For the full USDA report, click here.