Subscribe now

Earth

Genetically modified seeds 'are everywhere'

By Andy Coghlan

27 January 2010

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Zero tolerance doesn’t help

(Image: Mychele Daniau/Getty)

GENETICALLY modified crops are everywhere, it seems – even in Europe. Strict laws designed to keep the European Union free of unauthorised GM crops and products are not working, and are posing problems for the EU’s €150 billion livestock industry, according to farmers’ representatives. They say that supplies of animal feed for poultry and pigs are being refused entry at European ports when found to contain even trace amounts of unauthorised GM material.

Under Europe’s “zero-tolerance” laws on GM contamination, introduced in 2007, the presence of even a few seeds of unauthorised GM…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop