Poland bans cultivation of GM maize, potatoes

Poland on Wednesday imposed new bans on the cultivation of certain genetically modified strains of maize and potatoes, a day after an EU required green light for GM crops took effect. The centre-right government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk imposed farming bans on German BASF's Amflora strain of potato and US firm Monsanto's MON 810 maize or corn, according to a government statement Wednesday. The ban on specific strains essentially uses a legal loophole to circumvent the EU's acceptance of such products. Global environmental watchdog Greenpeace hailed the move, which will take effect on January 28. "The government has kept its promises," Greenpeace Poland said in a statement. Tusk had vowed to ban genetically modified (GM) crops in November on the heels of a Senate approval for the registration and sale of GM crops, which had been banned in Poland until then. According to Tusk, under EU rules lawmakers had been forced to pass the blanket approval for GM crops which came into effect on January 1.