Spanish farmers welcome GM maize

European resistance to GM crops — the result of one of the most highly effective environmental campaigns and ongoing worries about environmental damage — is set to be challenged by soaring food prices and a new enthusiasm on the part of farmers. A new study finds European farmers who grow genetically modified crops enjoy higher yields and revenues than conventional growers. A team from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission surveyed more than 400 Spanish farmers who grew Bt maize — the only GM crop allowed for cultivation in the EU. They found they produced higher yields and earned up to 122 euros more per hectare than conventional maize farmers. It is the first time researchers have looked into the economic impact of GM crops in Europe. Emilio Rodriguez Cerezo, who led the study, said: “There are definite economic advantages for farmers for the reason that their crops are not destroyed by pests.” The European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, wants to remove regulatory obstacles to the controversial technology, arguing that GM crops could counter soaring food prices. However, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who took over the EU presidency at the beginning of the month, is calling for more controls on GM organisms. Environmental groups accuse the GM industry of exploiting the global food crisis to win approval for its products. News focus