Chemical Controversies
Pesticides are substances that prevent, destroy, repel, or reduce the severity of pests. Pests are living things that occur where they are not wanted or that cause damage to humans, crops, or animals. Pests can be insects, rodents, unwanted plants, bacteria, viruses, or different types of fungus. Pesticides can vary in how toxic they are to humans and the environment. Some are persistent in the environment, animals, and birds, lasting for years; others break down soon after they are released. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants licenses, or registrations, to pesticides that it has found do not pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment; it has registered at least 865 pesticides, which are used in thousands of pesticide products.
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French scientists create disease-resistant tomato varieties
Scientists in France have created two new varieties of tomatoes, with an attractive color, shape, and melt-in-the-mouth taste, and which ...
Deciding between GMO and non-GMO seeds? Two farmers weigh pros and cons of each
[in 2015] Minnesota farmer Pat Duncanson switched 95% of his corn acres to non-GMO crops. His motivation was to save ...
Ugandan professor: NGO scare-mongering confuses public about GMO crops’ potential for good
[Editor’s Note: Morris Ogenga-Latigo is a member of the Pan African Parliament and former member of the Uganda National Biosafety ...
Chemist on Food Evolution: Activists present their case but movie shows science isn’t on their side
[Editor's note: Yvette d'Entremont holds a B.S. in chemistry and a master's degree in forensic science.] Imagine there was a documentary ...
Video: Herbicide-resistant rice variety could help address ‘superweed’ problem affecting non-GMO crops
As weeds become more resistant to herbicides, plant breeders are faced with the challenge of developing new varieties that are ...
Can GMOs and organic work together to feed growing population?
In theory, genetic engineering could make a valuable contribution to sustainable agriculture. Some plant diseases are virtually impossible to control ...
Non-GMO herbicide-resistant crops developed with process used ‘since the beginnings of agriculture’
Kaiima Bio Agritech works on boosting crop performance by using the plant’s own DNA, without the need of introducing external genes. In ...
Lead author of bees and neonicotinoids study: ‘I don’t appreciate’ Bayer, Syngenta ‘calling me a liar’
The lead author of a major study which found that neonicotinoid pesticides harm honey bees has hit back against criticism ...
With GMO insect-resistant sugarcane approval, Brazilian farmers poised to reap benefits of biotech pipeline
With the approval of Brazil's fourth genetically-engineered crop--insect-resistant sugarcane--Brazil is emerging as the most genetically innovative developing country ...
Opinion: Why the National Organic Program’s funding should be eliminated, not just cut
[Editor's note: Henry Miller is a physician and molecular biologist, and a Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He ...
Judge dismisses lawsuit claiming ‘natural’ label misleads due to parts per million glyphosate herbicide
A federal judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit against General Mills over the company's use of "natural" to describe the ...
Pamela Ronald: Sustainable farming should focus on impact of crops, not on how seeds developed
[Editor's note: Pamela Ronald is a rice geneticist at the University of California Davis.] Many worthy people objected to the production ...
China approves import of Syngenta, Monsanto GMO corn but leaves four crop varieties in hiatus
China has approved two more genetically modified (GMO) crops for import, the Ministry of Agriculture said, the second such move ...
Monsanto’s hidden influence? Glyphosate’s future in hands of EPA and the courts
Roundup has revolutionized farming. Now, human health and Bayer’s $66 billion deal for Monsanto depend on an honest appraisal of ...
EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner: Glyphosate safe but herbicide’s reapproval unsure
The European Union will only extend its approval for the herbicide glyphosate if there is sufficient support from the bloc's ...
Viewpoint: Organic industry faces credibility crisis as USDA investigates ‘phony’ imports
Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, the grocer that brought pricey organic food to the masses, comes during a time of ...
Video: Plant defenses turn caterpillar pests into cannibals
If you’re a hungry caterpillar and you’ve got a choice between eating a plant or another caterpillar, which do you ...
New York organic farm group opposes release of genetically engineered moths to rescue brassica crops
A local farming association is criticizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture for issuing a permit for the world’s first open-air ...
Ray of life: Did sunlight kickstart Earth’s biological transformation?
A new study suggests that the iron-and-sulfur clusters at the heart of many life-critical enzymes could have been floating around ...
How Berkeley-led academics conspired with anti-GMO groups to attack Food Evolution movie
Emails show the Pesticide Action Network, Center for Food Safety, and Friends of the Earth helped write and promote a ...
Organic water? Asarasi exploits loophole to get USDA-certified label on bottles
Much like asparagus water and water sommeliers, organic water is giving us pause. Though the concept isn’t new, it’s surprising to see it making ...
Add Tennessee to list of states restricting dicamba herbicide after drift complaints
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, facing some 70 suspected dicamba-drift complaints largely in western Tennessee, has issued new rules on ...
Monoculture: Do intensive farming and GMOs really threaten biodiversity?
Many critics claim GMOs increase the practice of monoculture cropping, but is this accurate? Does intensive farming damage our land ...
Sen. Pat Roberts: ‘Uncertainty and dysfunction have overtaken’ USDA organic program
The far-reaching difficulty that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has in determining whether imported “organic” food meets standards or is ...
How ‘pollinator entrepreneurs’ helped stave off ‘beepocalypse’
[Editor's note: Shawn Regan is a research fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) in Bozeman, Montana.] Despite ...
Garbage? Study challenges claim that Americans waste $165 billion of food each year
Say you’re a journalist, and you’ve been assigned a story about food waste. You’re on a deadline, and you need ...
Scientists skeptical EU neonicotinoid ban would help bees
As the EU prepares to rule on extending a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides, a large-scale study opened the door for industry to argue ...
