ROME, Italy, (ENS) - Italy's newly appointed Green Agriculture Minister Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio has announced a virtual declaration of war against genetically modified (GM) foods.

Pecoraro Scanio said this week that he opposed the use of biotechnology in agriculture and defended consumers' right to know whether foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

It was one of his first policy statements. The new government obtained full powers only yesterday evening when the Italian Senate confirmed last week's chamber of deputies confidence vote.

Pecoraro Scanio said he hopes Italy will join France in lobbying the USA over concerns about risks of GM organisms to human health and the environment.

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