Russia halts GM maize imports in wake of Monsanto cancer study

Russia has slapped a temporary ban on imports of genetically-modified maize produced by Monsanto, according to press reports.

The move comes in the wake of last week’s explosive study linking Monsanto’s top-selling weedkiller, Roundup, and the NK603 strain of GM maize modified to be resistant to the herbicide, to increased rates of cancer in lab rats.

Authorities in Russia are now set to investigate the study’s findings.

This week Monsanto went on the offensive, alleging that the study’s methodology was insufficiently robust to draw firm conclusions.

But supporters of the research team hit back, arguing that it shared the same academic standards as numerous pro-GM research papers cited by the industry.