The Global Food Fight

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REASON The country is eager to participate in the potentially profitable biotech revolution but is worried about alienating anti-GM customers in Europe.

Grains make up 30.9% of diet

Britain [Opposed to GM foods]

POPULATION 58,830,000

ATTITUDE Strongly anti

REASON "Mad cow" disease in beef and a report that GM potatoes caused immune-system damage in rats have alarmed most Brits. Markets ban GM foods, and experiments are tightly controlled.

Grains make up 22.8% of diet

France [Opposed to GM foods]

POPULATION 59,079,000

ATTITUDE Strongly anti

REASON Like Britain, France has been stung by incidents with tainted food. Its attitude is colored by hostility to U.S. imports and a desire to protect French farmers.

Grains make up 24.3% of diet

India [Somewhat in favor of GM foods]

POPULATION 1,013,661,000

ATTITUDE Cautiously pro

REASON Needs to find the most efficient ways to feed and clothe its enormous, rapidly growing population.

Grains make up 62.6% of diet

China [Strongly in favor of GM foods]

POPULATION 1,277,558,000

ATTITUDE Pro

REASON Needs to feed and clothe a large population; rural hunger brought about a revolution 50 years ago, and leaders don't want another one.

Grains make up 54.7% of diet

Japan [Somewhat in favor of GM foods]

POPULATION 126,714,000

ATTITUDE Cautiously pro, but heading toward anti

REASON Japan has a national obsession with food quality, enhanced by several recent food-poisoning incidents, and a tradition of protectionism for Japanese farmers.

Grains make up 40.7% of diet