Wielding scythes and shears, hundreds of protesters hacked down two test fields of genetically engineered corn in southeast France on Sunday. The incident was the fifth such protest against biotech foods in France since late June. Jose Bove, a French farmer who is one of the world’s leading anti-globalization activists, has called for a campaign of civil disobedience unless the government orders the destruction of all test plots of biotech crops. French Environment Minister Yves Cochet has condemned the attacks, while acknowledging that the concerns motivating them are legitimate. Worldwide, consumer support for genetically engineered foods is low, but the industry has convinced most governments to back its products, reports the London Guardian.
