France Bans Growing of Genetically Modified Monsanto Corn

France will temporarily ban the growing of Monsanto Co.’s genetically modified corn MON810 ahead of guidance by European regulators on the crop’s safety, the agriculture and environment ministries said.

The ban will come into force on March 18 after the European Commission, the European Union’s regulatory arm, told France it didn’t plan immediate measures against the Monsanto corn, the ministries wrote in a joint e-mailed statement today.