Although Brazil last week authorized the planting of GM soy until the end of the year and the sale of GM soy crops until end-2004, the government has not given the green light to sell or import GM soy seed in Brazil. Farmers can only plant the previously illegal GM seed stocks now in their hands.President Lula defended the partial legalisation of GM growing: "There were two options: either we prohibited GM soy and ordered the police to set fire to it -- which would have been a horrible picture in a country suffering from hunger -- or we could ... create a situation that would allow its sale."The Economist concludes: "Brazilian farmers will embrace genetically modified crops, unless European consumers pay them not to".</p><p><a href="http://www.agriculture.com/worldwide/IDS/2003-09-29T210928Z_01_N29219157_RTRIDST_0_FOOD-BRAZIL-GM-SOY.html" target = "blank">Reuters: Brazil seen short of GM soy seed for 2-3 years</a></p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3548515">President Lula on GM soybeans</a></p><p><a href="http://www.economist.co.uk/world/la/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2102001" target = "blank">The Economist: An amber light for agri-business</a>