1.   Greenpeace and other environmental groups have highlighted the serious dangers arising from the granting of patents on plants genetically engineered to resist herbicides.

2.   About half the papayas from Hawaii are engineered to resist a papaya virus.

3.   For example, Monsanto Corp. last year obtained USDA approval to sell a type of russet potato that has been genetically engineered to resist destructive Colorado potato beetles.

4.   GM soy and corn, some of which are engineered to resist pests, produce greater yields with fewer chemicals.

5.   The same pesticides appear to increase the yields of other genetically modified plants, including those engineered to resist the effects of herbicides.

6.   The groups also asked USDA to withdraw approval of two new varieties of squash that were engineered to resist plant viruses.

7.   The protest follows the import from the United States earlier this year of soya beans which have been genetically engineered to resist herbicides.