Farmer on hunger strike in GM protest

Published on 03/01/2008 22:28

FRENCH farmer José Bové, who became a worldwide celebrity for his fight against junk food, went on a hunger strike yesterday with around 15 other activists to try and get the government to do more to ban genetically modified crops.

Mr Bov said the government had promised to write to the European Commission saying the country would suspend the use of GM crops until scientific studies proved they could be cultivated safely.

But the government had not sent the letter and had only suspended the commercial use of maize seeds reliant on GM technology, he said.

In an interview, Mr Bov said: "What I hope is that the political will (of the people] will be respected."

While GM crops are becoming common in the United States, France – Europe's biggest grain producer – along with other European nations remains uncertain of their merits.