Agriculture Spotlight
Concerned about aspartame? Beware of this other “probable carcinogen” on your plate
While aspartame’s classification as a possible carcinogen grabbed headlines, the classification of another ubiquitous chemical slid silently beneath the diet ...
6 fake news websites stoking fear about crops grown from genetically-engineered seeds
"Fake news" may be new to most people, but not to followers of the anti-GMO debate. Here are some of ...
Are seed patent protections abused by Monsanto and other agro-corporations?
Anti-GMO critics often claim major agricultural companies use seed patents to control farmers rights, which they say also limits innovation ...
Top 5 most ridiculous types of Non-GMO Project labeled products
The stuff with no G to M It would stand to reason that any Non-GMO Project certified item would have ...
Women in science: Geneticist Pamela Ronald, developer of GMO flood-resistant rice
[T]he breakthrough that finally created rice seeds strong enough to stand up to blight and flood came when Pamela Ronald ...
‘Roundup Facing the Judges’: Documentary promotes glyphosate conspiracy theories, pseudoscience
[Editor's note: Øystein Heggdal is a Norwegian agronomist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and natural resources. He is ...
Viewpoint: EU’s glyphosate herbicide fight reveals limits of Europe-wide governance
Glyphosate, the ubiquitous herbicide, may not really be poison, but it could well be the most politicized substance in Europe. In ...
Neonicotinoid seed treatments ‘best option’ for soil pests, but should be used judiciously, study says
The topic of neonicotinoid seed treatments (NSTs) continues to keep researchers searching for answers. A study from the University of ...
Anti-GMO group March Against Monsanto promotes, profits from anti-vaccine ads
Visit the March Against Monsanto website and you'll see a strange ad peppering the pages, among the usual dubious stories about ...
Fighting poverty with GMOs: Filipino farmers turn to insect-resistant Bt corn to boost yields, income
Agricultural choices don't just affect food availability. They also have significant economic and social ramifications. A case in point is the ...
Should organic farming embrace new plant breeding techniques like CRISPR?
Over the last few years, new tools have rapidly created possibilities in plant breeding. These New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) ...
Viewpoint: Food Evolution movie shows GMO supporters ‘you’re not alone’
If you have the opportunity to see the documentary “Food Evolution,” do it. It has been the most talked-about food and agriculture ...
Economist: EU’s GMO crop ban likely led to lower corn, soybean yields in Europe compared to US
Is it true that a ban on GM crops in the European Union has hurt productivity? Most likely yes, retired ...
‘To lose them would be a disaster’: More than 20 wild relatives of modern crops added to ‘threatened’ list
Wild relatives of modern crops deemed crucial for food security are being pushed to the brink of extinction, according to ...
Viewpoint: Anti-GMO scare tactics show need for scientific literacy
Many of the arguments made by organic supporters and GMO critics aren't supported by science. That combination can have harmful ...
Climate change fighting plants: Genetically modified crops could trap half of human CO2 emissions in soil
The Salk Institute has enlisted a new ally in the effort to address the anticipated dangers of climate change — plants. Scientists ...
French farmers: 3 years too short to develop viable replacement for glyphosate herbicide
President Emmanuel Macron’s promise to rid France of controversial weedkiller glyphosate within three years has left some farmers in the ...
What can other African countries learn from South Africa’s experience with GMO crops?
Despite promotion of GM crops, adoption has been slow across the continent. South Africa began using the technology in the ...
Leaked draft of EU report reveals mixed findings on neonicotinoids and bees
Draft findings from the European Food Safety Authority feed into a long-running, heated and so far inconclusive debate into why Europe’s ...
USDA again probes National Organic Program’s ‘weak’ import controls, putting label’s integrity at risk
The USDA’s National Organic Program completed more complaint reviews and investigations that it received in 2017. It finished work on ...
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Dannon alleging consumers misled by ‘all-natural’ dairy products from cows fed GMOs
A judge has granted Dannon’s motion to dismiss a high-profile false advertising lawsuit alleging shoppers were misled by its ‘all-natural’ ...
Viewpoint: 12 ways organic activists mislead consumers
Does the organic food industry use deceptive marketing practices to scare wealthy customers away from conventional agriculture and GMOs? The ...
How anti-biotech environmental groups are trying to kill roll-out of AquaBounty’s sustainable salmon
If you love Atlantic salmon, what you are eating is almost certainly farm-raised, despite what the label might say. The ...
Vitamin-enhanced GMO potatoes could combat malnutrition—if they ever hit the market
Sufferers of malnutrition in the global south could soon find help from an unlikely source: a humble potato, genetically tweaked ...
Genetic engineering, synthetic biology poised to boost photosynthesis and carbon capture
In a feature article published in the open access journal eLife, an international team of experts led by Dr Bonnie Wintle ...
Viewpoint: Why it’s time to start talking about a glyphosate herbicide replacement
Don’t get me wrong. I fully recognise the current need for Irish tillage and grassland farmers to use the herbicide ...
Drought-resistant plant genes could lead to crops that need less water
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified a common set of genes that enable different ...