Agriculture & Food
We eat to live. Humans use approximately 11% of Earth’s land for the cultivation of crops for food, but also for clothing, medicine and biofuels. Globally, major crops include sugarcane, pumpkin, maize (corn), wheat, rice, cassava, soybeans, hay, potatoes and cotton.
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
Roundup Ready beets move closer to deregulation
A U.S. Department of Agriculture statement issued Friday marked another step that could fully deregulate Roundup Ready sugar beets, potentially ...
GM crops imperative to improve agri productivity
The agriculture experts and scientists have termed the adoption of modern agricultural technology vital to improve the productivity of agriculture ...
Scientists take shot at Monsanto’s drought tolerant corn
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has issued a report saying that Monsanto's new drought-tolerant corn, DroughtGard, might not yield ...
Device picks up GM fruit contaminates
The production and commercialization of of genetically modified (GM) crops is still a relatively new technology that was adopted to ...
Fifth generation farmer defends biotechnology
A handful of outspoken activists are attempting to slow down or ban the use of biotechnology. To support their ideological ...
European GM crop area diminishes
Fewer and fewer field trials with genetically modified plants are conducted in Europe. The only exception is Spain, where large ...
GM food, war metaphors and the perils of political entrenchment
Over a decade ago ago I wrote a few articles on cloning and GM, GMOs, genetic engineering, genetically modified foods ...
Precautionary principle should apply to GM food, claims former scientists
Genetic modification is not simply the insertion of genes which act independently of the rest of the genome. These genes ...
Time to start reaping GM benefits, says GM supporter
Ever since the Asilomar Conference on ‘Recombinant DNA' in February 1975, regulatory policies relating to recombinant DNA technology have focused ...
African agriculture: Antipathy to GM crops still strong in Zambia
Zambia has one of the strongest records of official opposition to GM crops in Africa. An official of the recently ...
Scientists map and sequence genome of switchgrass relative foxtail millet
A newly published genetic sequence and map of foxtail millet, a close relative of switchgrass and an important food crop ...
Poland beekeepers kick Monsanto out of the hive
The decision comes after thousands of protesters recently took to the streets in demonstration of the undeniable fact that both ...
Hawaii’s biotech papayas hold a lesson for America
A new supply of fresh papayas from Hawaii will reach grocery-store shelves in Japan this year and consumers have biotechnology ...
GM foods: Science and society
Last weekend protesters gathered at Rothamsted Research, north of London, threatening to destroy a field of genetically modified wheat. In ...
Global farming goes biotech
Farmers using improved seeds and biotech crop varieties continue to see significant economic and on-farm environmental benefits, according to the ...
Genetic discovery unlocks biosynthesis of medicinal compound in poppy
Scientists have discovered a complex gene cluster responsible for the synthesis of the medicinal compound noscapine ...
At last, the tomato genome sequence comes to fruition
For years scientists have slaved away, trying to piece together the genes that make up the ripe, red goodness that ...
GM food research site hit by cyber attack
"The cyber-strike came after hundreds of protestors went to the agricultural research station in Hertfordshire to try to attack the ...
Maize diversity discoveries may help ease world’s hunger pangs
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, report that ancient farmers had a stronger impact on the evolution of maize, ...
Battle against GM soy intensifies in Brazil
Illegally smuggled into Brazil 14 years ago, transgenic soy has proved a boon to domestic farmers and now accounts for ...
Is Africa’s slow adoption of GM crops justified?
Africa was one of the first places that adopted GM crops, but most of countries in Africa have refused to ...
Rainbow papayas: First GM fruit to resist virus- now on sale in Japan
A breakthrough in Japan, which has been historically precautionary about GM foods: “Rainbow” papayas–genetically modified to withstand the deadly ringspot ...
Labeling of GMOs gains momentum
Despite the facade put in place by Monsanto that virtually all mainstream medical organizations believe there is no difference between ...
Free trade and GM crops: Price sensitive European consumers, blocked from buying most GM products, are willing to buy innovative foods
While the political opposition to biotech crops in the European Union is well entrenched, consumers are willing to take a ...
Nobel biologist: Zero evidence that crop biotechnology is harmful; GM safer than conventional food
Sir Richard Roberts, a British biologist, joined a long and growing list of Nobel laureates, saying that he believes much ...
Could California force the rest of us to label GMO foods?
In November, California voters will decide on a ballot initiative that would require labeling of all foods containing ingredients from ...
Africa: Ban on GMOs
The government has maintained a ban on imports of GM crop seeds and GM products. The ban on products is ...
