Agriculture Spotlight
Plant genetics pioneer Joanne Chory wins $3 million Breakthrough Prize
Salk Institute scientist Joanne Chory, one of the world’s preeminent plant biologists who is now leading the charge to combat global ...
Activist groups plan to sue Germany, EU over glyphosate herbicide re-approval
Environmentalist groups said on Monday [Dec. 4] that Germany and the European Union had broken the rules when assessing the ...
‘New Girl’ is no farm girl: Zooey Deschanel misinforms on organic food, farming
In Zooey Deschanel’s third “Your Food’s Roots” video, part of a five episode educational series presented by media company Attn:, the ...
Glyphosate, Monsanto and Europe: How science and reason almost lost out to hysteria and emotion
The glyphosate saga is a fascinating case study in how easily politics can derail science. In watching the glyphosate issue ...
CRISPR and agriculture: Technology improving crop yields, nutrition and stress tolerance
The present study reviews agricultural applications related to the use of CRISPR systems in plants from 52 peer-reviewed articles published ...
Salmon may soon be fed GMO canola high in omega-3 fatty acids
The omega-3 canola oil, which is extracted from rape plants that have been genetically modified to produce the key fatty ...
Number of genetically engineered crops could balloon thanks to new technique using pollen DNA
[T]he war over GM crops, though intense, has so far been restricted to a small number of battlefields – corn, ...
Viewpoint: Biggest ‘bee apocalypse’ myth? There isn’t one
[D]espite panicked claims of an apocalypse, managed honeybee colonies in the United States have actually been rising since 2008. In fact, as of ...
Higher prices and uncertain benefits: Are organic foods worth it?
Consumers have been paying a lot to eat organic; foods with the certification sometimes costs twice as much as conventional products. The premium prices may not be ...
GMO sugar beets help farmers reduce herbicide, water and fuel use, improve soil
You could say sugar-beet sugar runs through the blood of Luke Adams. “I grew up a sugar beet farmer,” Adams ...
‘Unmitigated disaster’: South Australian farmers enraged by government’s GMO crop ban
South Australia’s farmers are unlikely to have access to genetically modified (GM) crops until at least 2025 after a bill to extend ...
UN FAO, African Union urge governments to adopt biotech to address food insecurity, malnutrition
The African Union Commission and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), urged African governments to proactively employ science, technologies and innovations – ...
Kenya field trail shows promise of GMO insect-resistant Bt corn to combat fall armyworm African invasion
Scientists in [Kenya] have successfully tested genetically modified maize samples that are resistant to stem borer and are drought tolerant ...
How France, Italy and Belgium would profit if glyphosate is banned or restricted
If Paris and Rome carry through with their plans to ban glyphosate, a small group of French, Italian and Belgian ...
What foods have pesticide residues? When do the chemical traces pose dangers?
Dosage and length of exposure determines whether a compound actually produces toxic effects and could lead to such diseases as ...
Viewpoint: France shows its irrationality in embracing nuclear power but rejecting glyphosate safety
[Editor's note: Cécile Philippe is an economist and Director-General of the Molinari Economic Institute.] In France, a glyphosate ban for ...
Viewpoint: Zen Honeycutt’s ‘inexcusable’ attack on orange growers betrays science
Activist group Moms Across America, run by someone with zero scientific training, makes a living attacking farmers and scientists that ...
Long neglected by breeders, Africa’s staple ‘orphan crops’ undergoing a genetic revolution
Cassava and sweet potatoes. Lablab beans and water berries. Bitter gourds and sickle sennas. Elephant ears and African locusts. ... All ...
Gene could unlock high yield soybeans with increased protein for animal feed
Leftovers can be quite valuable. For instance, when soybean seed is crushed and the oil extracted, what’s left is called ...
Science Moms hit back at anti-GMO group’s Monsanto ‘shill’ accusations
Alison Bernstein, Anastasia Bodnar, Jenny Splitter, Kavin Senapathy, Layla Katiraee, Natalie Newell | 
[Editor's note: Alison Bernstein, Anastasia Bodnar, Jenny Splitter, Kavin Senapathy, Layla Katiraee, and Natalie Newell are part of a group called Science ...
Post-Brexit UK will continue GMO crop ban, environment secretary says
Food made from genetically modified crops will continue to be banned in the UK after Britain leaves the European Union, ...
Vote to approve glyphosate herbicide shakes up German, EU politics
European Union countries found themselves at odds on Monday [Nov. 27] over weed killer. After a long deadlock over renewing the ...
Indian scientist: For some crops, genetic engineering ‘only option’ to improve food security
[Editor's note: Rajeev Varshney is Research Program Director for Genetic Gains, at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics ...
Viewpoint: Anti-biotech groups’ master plan substitutes ‘citizen science’ for data in quest to get glyphosate banned
The European Union resisted the lobbying of organic and anti-biotech groups to renew authorization of glyphosate, although only for five ...
French President Macron advocates glyphosate herbicide ban within 3 years
The European Union voted on Monday [Nov. 27] to extend its authorization for the world’s best-selling herbicide for an abbreviated ...
Non-glyphosate certified: New label promises lower levels of herbicide residue
Scott Prentice, executive director of BioChecked, has been in the food certification business since 2010. However, he's made the most ...
GMO Bt cotton poised to revive Philippines’ industry, reduce pesticide use
Following a multi-year slump, the Philippine cotton industry is anticipating a renaissance through the help of an innovative, science-based crop that farmers ...