Lawmakers on the European Parliament’s environment committee on Wednesday backed a proposal to relax rules on genetically modified plants produced using so-called new genomic techniques, prompting strong criticism from environmental groups. The issue of genetically modified organisms divided the European Union for a generation before the bloc adopted legislation in 2001. The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted its position on a European Commission proposal to relax those rules with 47 votes to 31 with four abstentions.
A new genetically modified plant will turn red once it is exposed to harmful chemicals, potentially benching traditional soil sampling. Read more here.