Agricultural Regs & Ethics
Anti-GMO “Right to Know” movement cashing in on scaring and confusing consumers
We have no right to know if our food is GMO. Why? Because the term “GMO” is an arbitrary classification ...
Mythbusting: Little understood facts to calm chemophobia
All too often the use of the word “chemicals” in the news, in advertising and in common usage has the implication ...
USDA advances approval of another GM potato, with lower sugar and blight resistance
USDA moved another variety of genetically engineered potatoes developed by J.R. Simplot Company forward in its approval process, the agency ...
Farmer and consumer cost of delaying approval of single GM trait estimated at $19 billion
A new white paper shows that a three-year postponement in global approval of biotech-enhanced soybean traits any time in the ...
USDA organics chief silent on whether organic is safer, healthier
Are consumers right to think that organic food is safer and healthier? It seems like a straightforward question, especially for ...
In debate over organic or conventional, is there third way to feed growing, warming world?
Proponents of organic agriculture say it leads to better soil management, uses fewer pesticides and fertilisers, and is a better ...
Soon-to-be marriages in Big Ag: Monsanto-Syngenta? Dupont-Dow?
A combination of Monsanto Co. and Syngenta AG would set the stage for even more mergers and acquisitions. Monsanto has ...
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 ...
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 ...
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’ ...
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, ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...