EU allows cultivation of new GMO corn

EU ministers allowed the controversial cultivation of a new genetically modified crop, U.S. firm Pioneer's TC1507 corn, after opponents failed Tuesday to muster enough support against the move.

Cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms stokes widespread suspicion in the 28-nation EU on health and environmental grounds, AFP reports.

At the meeting on Tuesday, several EU ministers pointed out that certain GMO crops had already been approved for safety, adding that the EU was importing large amounts of such crops to feed them to animals whose meat or products people later consume.