France鈥檚 highest court has ruled that maize genetically engineered to produce
the insecticide Bt may not be sold there. The court concluded that the French
government had not properly assessed whether a gene for antibiotic resistance,
also added to the maize by the Swiss company Novartis, posed a risk to public
health.
Meanwhile, Brazil has overturned its ban on transgenic crops. The National
Technical Commission on Biological Security last week gave permission to the
American firm Monsanto to sell herbicide-resistant soya beans.