Japan's largest food-producing region to ban GM crops

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Subject:Japan's largest food-producing region to ban GM crops

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Sat, 13 Nov 2004 12:06:31 GMT

 

Japan's largest food-producing region to ban GM crops

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New Hokkaido rules would stop farming of gene-altered crops

Nihon Keizai Shimbun, November 11, 2004

 

TOKYO, Hokkaido - Japan's northernmost prefecture, plans to put in

place next spring restrictions that would result in an effective ban on

commercial cultivation of genetically altered crops.

 

The new rules are in response to growing consumer interest in food

safety and are aimed at maintaining the reputation of products from

Hokkaido, Japan's largest food-producing region.

 

The regulations would apply to all crops, including soybeans and corn.

A licensing system would allow the commercial cultivation of

genetically altered plants, but the conditions would be so strict --

for example,

constant monitoring to prevent cross-fertilization with other plants --

that the rules are expected to effectively halt such activity by

ordinary farms.

 

To nurture the biotech industry, however, experimental cultivation

would be allowed if expert opinion is given that steps are being taken to

prevent cross-fertilization and contamination.

 

Genetically altered plants can now be cultivated just like ordinary

crops as long as approval is granted by the Agriculture and Environment

ministries. But research by Hokkaido shows 80% of consumers to be wary of

genetically altered produce. The prefecture fears that its own produce

would suffer should fears of cross-fertilization and contamination

grow.

 

If put in place, Hokkaido's regulation of genetically altered crops

would be the strongest in the nation.

 

 

 

 

 

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