At present, GE rice is not commercially grown anywhere in the world. But allow me to introduce LL62, a GE rice variety from German chemical giant Bayer. This rice is genetically engineered to withstand higher doses of a toxic pesticide called glufosinate, which is considered to be so dangerous to humans and the environment that it will soon be banned from Europe. Glufosinate is too toxic for standard rice plants. Rather than ditching it as a pesticide, Bayer had the crazy idea of just upping the plant's resistence to the pesticide via genetic engineering.

Here's a humorous look at Bayer's experiment:

Australia is one of the few countries in the world to have approved the rice for food use. However, while this means that the rice could enter the food supply in imported food products, GE rice still cannot yet be grown in Australia.

In just a few weeks, the European Union will decide whether or not this GE rice can enter EU countries. There is a danger that if GE rice is approved for food use in Europe, Bayer may seek approval to grow the rice in Australia.

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