April 16, 2000 / Dow Jones / The Associated Press
PARIS -- The Journal du Dimanche, a French newspaper, was cited as reporting Sunday that more than 400 plots have been secretly planted with genetically modified crops in France, a country where opposition to GM foods has been very strong, adding that, "Four hundred and twenty five communities have or have had experimental plots over the last four years," and that the Ministry of Agriculture had illegally kept such locations secret.
A ministry spokesman was cited as saying Sunday that lists of such plots were available in local town halls and that Agriculture Minister Jean Glavany was due to receive a report on how to reconcile the need for security with the desire for transparency in the next few days.
The story says that the perils of releasing such information was highlighted last week when activists destroyed a plot of GM rape in the Ariege region, southern France.
The spokesman was further cited as saying that most plots in France were operated by the National Institute for Agronomical Research, which is part of the ministry.
(posted without permission)
