Bundestag passes stringent law on genetically modified crops

Source: Deutsche Welle via Yahoo! News

The German parliament, led by the Social Democratic and Green parties, passed a new law on Friday strictly regulating the growth of genetically modified crops.

The law limits the area where genetically-modified plants can be grown in Germany and also calls for a national register to keep tabs on all GM crops. Farmers planting GM seeds will be required to adhere to strict regulations, including the requirement that a minimum distance be kept from non-GM fields and to take measures to prevent the spread of pollen from GM plants.

"In the interest of farmers and consumers, we do not want genetically altered foods to sneak uncontrolled and initially unnoticed onto our grocery shelves," said Herta Däubler-Gmelin, a parliamentarian from the SPD. The law also makes farmers liable for damages if their GM crops contaminate neighboring farms.

Conservative opposition politicians and agriculture lobbies argue that the restrictions will make it extremely difficult for any farmers to grow GM crops.

Germany to promote renewables, curb GM use

Source: Expatica via Checkbiotech.org

To the applause of environmentalists, the German Bundestag parliament Friday passed two wide-reaching bills on promoting renewable energy sources and on restricting the sowing of genetically modified crops.

The renewable energy bill sailed through parliament after a compromise committee was able to reach agreement late Thursday on watered-down wording amenable to moderates and conservatives, who control the Bundesrat upper house of parliament.

Now assured of Bundesrat approval, the law could go into effect 1 August, offering federal funding to promote development of solar, wind, hydro-electric and other renewable energy sources.

However, critics said the bill was watered down to the extent that wind-power projects in flat coastal regions will be given

priority over those in hilly regions of central and southern Germany, where most Germans live.

Earlier, Germany's centre-left coalition government pushed stiff new restrictions on genetically-modified crops through parliament over opposition from conservatives.

The legislation, introduced by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats and their Greens coalition partners, makes farmers who use genetically modified grain liable for any cross-pollination of adjacent non-GM fields.

The law is aimed at ensuring that non-GM fields remain free of genetic modification.

But the legislation faces an uphill battle in the Bundesrat upper house of parliament which is dominated by conservative Christian Democrats.

In sometimes heated debate in the Bundestag on Friday, conservatives blasted the legislation as ineffectual and unenforceable. They said it would hinder efforts to allow GM crop production to go ahead side-by-side with conventional farming.