“With this new ban, the government is persisting in maintaining its position, and in doing so is acting illegally!  The Court of Justice of the European Union and the French Council of State [Conseil d’Etat] have already ruled on both the form and substance of the case, overruling, in November 2011, the safeguard clause invoked by the French State for Mon 810 maize in 2008.  And since then there has not been the slightest element providing any new evidence of a scientific risk and… a further 35 million hectares around the world have been planted with GMOs.”
This was the response of the President of the French General Association of Maize Producers, Christophe Terrain, after a new ministerial order imposing a ban was published in the Journal Officiel of the French Republic on March 18.

The Board of Directors of the French General Association of Maize Producers (AGPM) met in Paris on Wednesday March 21 and voted to re-elect Christophe Terrain President of the organisation and to elect a new Secretary General – Anne-Claire Vial.

Players in the bioethanol industry have applauded the recommendation of the French national audit authority, the Cour des Comptes, to continue providing support for the production and sale of first generation biofuels.  However, they also wish, to respond to the reservations expressed by the authority.

French grain and oil & protein seed producers held their annual conference, the Sommet du Végétal, in the city of Dijon on January 18 & 19, and restated their position on farming:  to increase grain production so as to meet future global needs means producing more everywhere, i.e. in France, Europe and emerging and developing countries.  They stressed that it was a duty for themselves and for our country which is not only one of the world’s leading grain exporters but is also able to achieve consistent results with top-level production year after year.