Modified crops gained 9m hectares in 2005

PLANTING of GM crops worldwide is estimated to have increased by 9 million hectares (22 million acres) in 2005.

GM crops are being grown for animals in Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, France and Portugal. GM material is already widely accepted for animal feeding in Europe, in contrast to consumer resistance to GM foods.

But anti-GM consumers in the EU are protected by laws requiring any food with more than 0.9% GM material to be labelled as such.