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A ban on a range of genetically modified crops is being sought by the Welsh Government.

Deputy minister for farming and food Rebecca Evans has asked the EU that it allows Wales to be exempt from permission given for the cultivation of eight varieties of maize.

She says the move will allow Wales to protect its organic food sector.

The move, welcomed by Friends of the Earth Cymru, will now go to the biotech companies themselves to be removed from their plans.

More: Is a new era of GM crops about to begin - and should Wales be part of it?

Wales is one of many countries to have made similar applications to the European Commission, following a change to the rules that allowed nations to ask to be exempt from authorised and to be-authorised genetically modified crops.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have requested bans, leaving England the only country in the UK that hasn’t asked.

Some have said the new system is an attempt to get more authorisations of genetically modified organisms agreed at a European level, by putting the decision in the hands of individual governments.

Ms Evans said: “These new rules proposed by the European Commission provide Wales with the necessary tools to maintain our cautionary approach by allowing us to control the future cultivation of GM crops in Wales.

“It will allow us to protect the significant investment we have made in our organic sector and safeguard the agricultural land in Wales that is managed under voluntary agri-environment schemes.

“We... need to preserve consumer confidence and maintain our focus on a clean, green, natural environment.

“By having the ability to control what is grown in Wales we can have confidence in preserving these values.

“I have therefore acted now to ban the eight GM varieties from being grown in Wales that are either approved or about to be approved for cultivation in the EU.”

According to the notices posted on the EC website, the requests concern eight varieties of maize.

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The Welsh Government has previously stated its opposition to GM crops and was a founder member of GM Free Network of Regions.

Haf Elgar, campaigner for Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “There has been strong cross party support in the National Assembly for a restrictive approach to GM crops since 2001.

“We congratulate the Welsh Government on taking this step to keep Welsh agriculture clean and green.”

Plaid Cymru’s food spokesman Llyr Gruffydd said: “Wales has a strong food sector and proud reputation being a clean, green producer of quality food. We need to protect this reputation and support farmers.”