Well, whad'ya know. Contrary to popular belief, GMOs aren't banned in 60 counties.
Ran across this on a science blog.
A: Cathy Enright, former executive director of the Council for Biotechnology Information, has provided a response to a similar question. Below is a previously posted response that addresses the topics your question raises.
“I’m aware of only one country, Kenya, with a ban in place on GMO food imports. The decision came about in November 2012, apparently during a cabinet meeting, that circumvented the existing Kenyan Biosafety Act and the National Biosafety Authority, the regulatory agency established to regulate the use of GMOs.
“Every other country that has a regulatory system in place for GMOs allows GMOs to be imported for food and animal feed, including the European Union (EU), which has a thorough and comprehensive regulatory system for the assessment and approval of GMOs (EU law).
EFSA’s FAQ on genetically modified organisms is available here.
EFSA director statement on GMO Food.
“In fact, the EU’s safety assessment process for GMOs is largely similar to that of other countries around the world — Japan, China, Brazil, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and many, many others. Each has determined that GMOs are substantially equivalent to their non-GMO counterparts.
“I think people may incorrectly perceive that the EU has a ban on GMOs for food and animal feed because of polarized public opinion and extended delays in the EU approval process, particularly the final step — a political decision-making process in which the member states vote on the European Food Safety Authority (ESFA) scientific opinion. By mid-2011, 39 GM products were approved for food and feed use in the EU, with 72 approvals pending due to delays in the regulatory process.
“Despite the GMO controversy in the EU, it imports 72 percent (2011) of the protein-rich feed needed to support its livestock industry from Brazil, Argentina and the United States, the vast majority of which is GMO.
More at: https://gmoanswers.com/ask/how-many-countries-ban-gmos
= new reply since forum marked as read
Don't know what the "60" number is about. But the article you posted seems to not cover what's on Wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_of_genetically_modified_organisms_in_the_European_Union#Adoption_of_GMO_crops
If someones statement may need some clarification, the adult thing to do is provide it. Scoundrels, however, may use it for a straw man argument.
But scoundrels are what they are.
Speaking of scoundrels, here's a bit about the author (who referred to a number of European countries as a "Coalition of the Ignorant"
of that NYT opinion piece you linked.
http://www.alternet.org/food/uncovering-real-story-behind-mark-lynas-conversion-climate-change-journalist-cheerleader
Huck, what's so great about GMO food? Is it that big a deal? That's before we address what scoundrels the likes of Monsanto are.
You wanna be so scientificy, but refuse to play by the rules. Here are the cites. You don't have to like them. I'm not going to act like they don't exist.
Berlin yesterday (14 April) joined France, Greece, Hungary and other EU countries opposed to GM crop cultivation by ordering a ban on Monsanto’s MON 810 maize, despite European rulings that the biotech grain is safe.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/science-policymaking/news/germany-joins-ranks-of-anti-gmo-countries/
EU lawyers take action against Poland over GMO ban
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environment-eu-poland-gmo-dc-idUKL3191435020080131
Bulgaria parliament bans GMO crops to soothe fears
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-bulgaria-gmo-idUSTRE62H3EJ20100318
