Soya on rice to go

摘要

A double blow is coming for the opponents of genetically modified (GM) foods, from two of the world's big farming nations. China, where many farmers already grow GM cotton, is likely soon to authorise commercial growing of GM rice. And Brazil is close to setting up a mechanism that could legalise all GM crops. Brazil's farmers already plant lots of GM soya, especially in the far south where seed is easily smuggled in from Argentina. In theory this is illegal. But last month, well after planting had begun, it was authorised by presidential decree, as happened last year. The government knows it cannot enforce current law, and would face trouble if it tried. Instead, a bill to regulate GM crops has already passed the Senate and is now back with the Chamber of Deputies. These latter are not hurrying, since the bill also covers human stem-cell research, a far more contentious issue. But few doubt it will be passed. And because the GM regulators will be named by the ministry of sci-ence, their hand will probably be light.