Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil's senate passed a bill allowing research, trade and planting of genetically modified crops, germs and viruses in the country, ceding to pressure from farmers to lift a ban on the use of transgenic soybeans.

The bill passed by a vote of 53-to-2, with three abstentions. The law would give permanent authorization to the National Technical Bio-safety Council to oversee research into gene-altered organisms, said Senator Ney Suassuna, the sponsor of the bill, in a phone interview from Brasilia. The committee will also supervise stem cell research, which aims to find cures for degenerative diseases, Suassuna said.

The law needs to go back to the lower house, as was changed during senate debate.

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To contact the reporter on this story:
Katia Cortes in Brasilia at kcortes at bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Laura Zelenko in New York at lzelenko at bloomberg.net