german farmers cultivating genetically modified (gm) crops will now be responsible for the contamination caused to non-gm crops in neighbouring fields. They will also have to record, in a public register, all the land they use for gm cultivation. These are some provisions of a new law passed by the German parliament on November 26, much to the vexation of farmers and biotech companies. But it has received support from environmental groups.

The new law is being touted as the strictest in Europe to regulate the cultivation of gm crops. It also necessitates safety measures like surrounding gm fields with non- gm plants to prevent cross-pollination. The law is significant, especially in view of the eu recently lifting the long-standing moratorium on gm crops and the differing views on the matter within the country itself (see