Genetically modified crops could be banned from 11,000 acres of the South Downs owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Councillors will decide at a meeting next week whether to try to keep the city as GM-free as possible, including preventing GM crops on council farms.

However, a report to the council says there could be practical difficulties imposing a ban.

A council spokesman said: "This is something the council might aspire to if councillors agree.

"Under current law we could not force the city to be GM free even if councillors thought that was a good thing."

Friday March 26, 2004