Hollande vows to uphold ban on Monsanto GM corn

French President François Hollande said Friday the country will maintain its current ban on growing genetically modified (GM) corn sold by US agriculture industry giant Monsanto, despite a court’s decision to lift the moratorium.

“The moratorium will be prolonged,” Hollande said during a visit to a farm in the southwestern region of Dordogne, adding the ruling would have to be reviewed at the national and European level.

“Why did we impose a moratorium on GM? Not because we are against progress, but for the sake of progress,” the president said. “We cannot allow one crop –corn– to have a negative effect on other crops.”

A ban on MON810 corn – one of two kinds of GM food crops whose cultivation is approved by the European Union – has been in place in France since February 2008 and extended in 2012.