Danish Farmers to Grow GM Crops

(13 October 2008) The Copenhagen Post recently reported that more than 250 Danish farmers have shown interest in starting to grow genetically modified crops in the autumn of 2009. Highest interest is for a variety of herbicide tolerant GM maize and a potato with a modified starch content suitable for use in textiles. Neither of these crops are currently recognised by the EU, but it is expected that they will be accepted this coming winter and be ready for the following autumn.

The farmers will be permitted to begin growing EU-sanctioned crops only after they have attended an educational course. The Danish Plant Directorate said that most of the interest in GM farming so far comes from Jutland and it is expected that the larger farm producers will be the ones to try out the new possibilities, especially if they see advantages to using the new technology.
Eva Kjer Hansen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, is pleased with the number of farmers willing to avail of the new technology. “I think that we must use genetically modified plants to our advantage, especially when they can provide farmers with a better economy and a cleaner environment,” she said.
Worldwide there are 114 million hectares of GM crops, making up eight percent of total global crop production.

Source: Co-Extra / The Copenhagen Post

See also on GMO Compass:

• Field trails in Denmark