Following the destruction on 14 August of two fields of genetically engineered corn by several hundred protesters calling themselves the 'volunteer reapers' and headed by the anti-globalisation campaigner, José Bové, there are indications that both the French government and the general public are wavering in their opposition to open-field tests of genetically modified organism (GMO) crops.

France, where anti-GMO campaigners destroy experimental crops on a regular basis, has become Europe's main battleground over the issue of transgenic food. But with a new group, describing itself as 'volunteer farmers and researchers in favour of GMO tests', clashing with Mr Bové's supporters and the recent publication by the French Health and Food Safety Board (AFFSSA) of a report stating that certain GMOs could be beneficial to health, public opinion seems to be coming around to the idea that the phenomenon is unstoppable.

Even the conservative French wine-growing industry has announced it wishes to keep an open mind over the possible benefits of GMOs.

'The continuing destruction of crops is playing into the hands of France's competitors,' said Pierre ../pagesse, a farmer and managing director of the French biotechnology firm Biogemma.

'At this rate European farmers will fall behind. To have sustainable agriculture you first of all need to sustain the farmers.'

Both Hervé Gaymard, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs and François d'Aubert, the deputy Minister for Research, strongly condemned the attacks in a joint statement which read: 'Research on biotechnologies offers great potential for health, human food and the environment.'

'This damage,' they added, 'destroys years of research for hundreds of researchers and farmers. We wish to remind everyone that the experiments carried out in France that use transgenic crops are rigorously controlled. The authorisation of each field experiment is submitted to strict regulations, defined in a European framework. We lend our entire support to the researchers, engineers and farmers - victims of these destructions - and reiterate our attachment to the free choice of consumers.'

'To defend GMO research is to enable French and European farmers to remain independent from other parts of the globe who will otherwise sell us patents and invade us with their production,' added Jean-Michel Lemetayer, president of the French National federation of farmers syndicates (FNSEA).

The report by the AFFSSA, published at the end of July, highlighted the benefits of transgenic crops, pointing out that pest-resistant GM crops such as BTcorn and cotton reduce pesticide use and prevent contamination of toxic mould, helping the environment and the farmers.

The report writers were, however, less confident about the health advantages of pesticide-resistant crops, since they often involve one pesticide being traded for another. However, the report goes on to say that no problems, either in terms of allergic reaction or toxicity, had ever been traced to GM crops.

'Avoiding any hurried generalisation, it appears that genetic manipulation has positive effects in two areas,' said AFFSSA. 'The introduction in North America and the Far East of plant varieties resistant to insects has permitted a significant reduction in the use of phytosanitary products like insecticides,' states the report.

Furthermore, transgenic crops produce fewer mycotoxins, harmful substances produced by different types of moulds that grow on crops at certain temperatures and levels of humidity.

AFSSA remarked that lower mycotoxin contamination of transgenic corn has allowed them to observe greater growth among swine and poultry that receive it as feed.

However, the French food agency also noted that some new herbicides dissolve in water more easily than others, which makes them more of a threat to the environment, even though they are not volatile substances and are not very soluble in human fatty tissue.

The European Commission, which in May authorised the planting of a genetically modified sweetcorn manufactured by Syngenta, must decide by November whether or not to authorise to selling of transgenic NK 603 corn in the EU by Monsanto.