Agricultural Regs & Ethics
USDA rebukes EPA for claiming neonics provide no ‘clear’ farmer benefits
During a public comment period for a review of the use of neonicotinoids by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Robert ...
Rules force British organic farmers to use homeopathic remedies on their animals
British organic farmers are being forced to treat their livestock with homeopathic remedies under European Commission rules branded ‘scientifically illiterate’ ...
Organic board busts ‘no synthetic pesticides’ myth, okays new herbicides and fungicides
You might think the USDA "organic" label is reserved for foods produced without any man-made chemicals. But under government rules, "organic" ...
Canadian Cancer Society gives green light to prudent use of glyphosate
The Canadian Cancer Society isn’t calling for a ban on glyphosate. The Society says it’s acceptable to use pesticides to ...
Gut bacteria easy scapegoat to explain diseases, but connections hard to prove
Blamed simultaneously for obesity, diabetes, bowel disease and even Alzheimer’s the colonies of bacteria that live in our gut get ...
PepsiCo targeted in campaign by GM labeling proponents
Backers of mandatory labeling for genetically modified foods launched a campaign aimed at turning back food company lobbying against labeling, ...
India as GMO battleground: Separating myths from science
India has emerged as the epicenter of the anti-GMO movement in the developing world. What are the major claims of ...
5 questions answered on glyphosate
The world’s most widely-used herbicide has been getting a lot of attention lately. Last month, an international agency declared glyphosate, ...
Video: Canadian scientists say glyphosate hazard but not health risk
In March, the World Health Organization released a report that listed glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans." Glyphosate is widely used ...
China tightens GMO research safety protocols
China plans to increase its oversight of genetically modified crops due to heightened public concern over Beijing's ability to keep ...
Are GMOs increasing profits of farmers and biotech companies at environment’s expense?
Many people, particularly those embracing organic foods, worry whether GMOs might negatively impact the environment. What does the evidence say? ...
Is organic farming anti-science? Organic dairy farmer’s appeal for co-existence
GLP's newest contributing writer, a Canadian, is a former conventional farmer who went organic a few years ago. Now she ...
As success grows for Bangladesh’s Bt brinjal (eggplant), Mae-Wan Ho renews GMO disinformation campaign
The sky is falling in Bangladesh, at least according to anti-GMO campaigners determined to reframe as a failure one of ...
Consumer Reports ‘pesticides in produce’ guide sidesteps science, promotes organics
Consumer Reports 30-page “From Crop to Table: Pesticide Use in Produce” stumbles yet again on the science and is heavy ...
Anti-GMO groups in Bangladesh spread misinformation about Bt eggplant ‘failure’
Recent news reports in Bangladesh have suggested a growing food and farming disaster linked directly to GMOs. It's a manufactured ...
Mark Lynas on his “conversion” and his dedication to helping poor farmers
Mohammed Rahman doesn’t know it yet, but his small farm in central Bangladesh is globally significant. Mr. Rahman’s pest-resistant eggplant ...
Permitting GMO animal feed but not food creates dilemma under Europe’s new law
It’s all very well choosing not to eat genetically modified (GM) food, or even banning it entirely, but what if ...
Has agroecology been hijacked by activists more concerned about anti-GMO purity than sustainability?
Agroecology is widely touted as an alternative to farming that uses GMOs. Yet it's really about, or should be about, ...
How biotech, GMOs can reduce CO2 emissions
Are GMOs increasing the profits of farmers and biotech companies at the expense of the environment? As I have learned more ...
Voluntary GMO labeling bill stalled in committee
House Agriculture Committee lawmakers want more control over deciding which government agency -- the Agriculture Department or the Food and ...
Ethical and science conundrum: Did reporters, scientists miss nuances of embryo gene-editing story?
Report from China of the first genetically modified human embryos using gene editing technologies has resulted in a collective response ...
Commercial surrogacy industry creating baby factories?
“Outsourcing Embryos” is the name of a new fifteen-minute documentary from Vice for HBO in which correspondent Gianna Toboni travels ...
Discovery of naturally transgenic sweet potato poses conundrum: Will it be labelled or banned?
The discovery of transfer DNA (T-DNA) in sweet potato indicates horizontal transfer of genetic material from bacterium to plant. The ...
Neil Young really, really hates Monsanto
Neil Young really, really hates Monsanto. Last fall, the legendary musician called on fans to boycott Starbucks because it sided ...
DuPont acquires microbiome company, plans release of ‘natural’ pest solutions
DuPont is buying a California-based microbiome discovery company, Taxon Biosciences Inc., for development of biological crop products, a move that the ...
Coffee: Guilty pleasure or life saving elixir?
Coffee is ubiquitous, grown in more than 70 countries. But it's also a drug, with caffeine as the primary psychoactive ...
With organic sales booming, proponents aim to recruit more farmers to reduce reliance on foreign imports
While consumer demand for organic is booming, the supply of organic ingredients and agricultural products, particularly grains and animal feed, ...
