Opponents of GM crops go on the offensive

Farmers, university students, professors, ecologist groups and local government representatives will meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. to study the legal and administrative measures they will take to block the farming of genetically modified corn in Costa Rica.

The meeting will be at the campus of the University of Costa Rica, east of San José, and among the measures the groups are considering include protests in coming days.

The Ombudsman’s office announced Wednesday that they are performing “a comprehensive study” of the resolution issued by the National Biosecurity Technical Commission, which on Monday granted the permission to U.S. company Delta & Pine Land seed Ltda (D&PL), a local subsidiary of multinational biotechnology company Monsanto.

Assistant Ombudsman Luis Gerardo Fallas said in a statement that his office will perform a legal analysis “to verify the elements taken into account by the commission for issuing the approval.”

D&PL has met all the technical requirements for obtaining the permit since November, but it still must obtain the approval of the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry, and the decision must be published in the official newspaper La Gaceta to take effect.