Archive Article: 2000/08/18
EURO-BRIEFS
• GREEK authorities have ordered the destruction of some 3600ha (8900 acres) of cotton contaminated with genetically modified material. Although the volume of seed was small – less than 0.05% – pressure group, Friends of the Earth claims environmental damage has already been done, since the crop has progressed to flowering.
• FRANCE has detected two more cases of BSE as a result of its routine testing of fallen stock on farms in the regions most affected by the brain wasting disorder. The latest finds were on farms in the Maine-et-Loire department, using the Prionics post-mortem test for sub-clinical BSE. These two bring the official number of casualties in France this year to 34, compared with 30 for the whole of 1999.
• EU pig supplies continue to contract, according to figures from German statistics agency ZMP, which point to a 2% fall for 2000/01. The UK and the Netherlands lead the way with -8% and -5% respectively. The one exception is Denmark, which is expanding its herd by 5% this year, making the most of firmer market prices. *