The announcement that BASF is transferring its biotech research activities to North America has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth as “…another nail in the coffin for genetically modified foods in Europe.” FOE food campaigner Adrian Bebb rejoiced: “This is a good day for consumers and farmers and opens the door for the European Union to shift Europe to greener and more publicly acceptable farming.”
In a statement, BASF conceded that: “…it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this [European] market.” BASF will transfer its biotech posts to Research Triangle Park near Raleigh, North Carolina.
The company is halting the development and marketing of GM starch potatoes (Amflora, Amadea and Modena), but will: “…continue the regulatory approval processes for the products already started.”