Daily Food & Ag Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of agricultural and food issues, including the GMO debate, conventional and organic farming, regulations, new breeding technologies and sustainability. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Viewpoint: ‘Frankenfood’? Anti-GMO rhetoric more harmful than ever in a hungry, post-COVID world
With trend culture emphasizing ‘earth-to-table’ recipes and organic ingredients, it’s no wonder that the perception of GMOs as a kind ...
CRISPR-edited coral: Gene editing could help Great Barrier Reef survive climate change
An international team of experts used CRISPR-Cas9 to elucidate the heat tolerance of a coral in the Great Barrier Reef ...
Meat from plants: Could animal proteins grown in GM crops be used to make burgers?
Using a genetic engineering technique known as molecular farming, [Moolec Science] believes it can leverage the scale of production of ...
Eating plant-based burgers doesn’t cause ‘man boobs’
[December 2019, cattle veterinarian James] Stangle cautioned that Impossible’s meat substitute, which debuted in the spring of 2019 and started ...
Viewpoint: Plant biodiversity cuts pesticide use, but may slash crop yields needed to feed more people
Everyone recognizes that less less food means fewer pests but when you have to grow food to keep billions from ...
Video: How do you breed CRISPR cows? A crash course on animal gene editing
How do you breed gene-edited animals? This 30-minute video from the University of California, Davis details the making of a ...
Mexican biotech expert says his country’s proposed glyphosate weed killer ban ‘based on lies’
[A] researcher and specialist in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology in Plants, José Miguel Mulet, considered the arguments of supposed ecologists ...
Some African scientists fear the continent will be left behind as gene editing transforms food production
Scientists in Africa are calling on their governments to ensure the continent isn’t left behind as gene editing revolutionizes food ...
Bayer makes ‘substantial progress’ in settling more glyphosate-cancer suits, but other cases may go to trial
A court-appointed mediator on [Nov, 9] said Bayer AG has made "substantial progress" toward resolving tens of thousands of remaining ...
Nigerian farmers excited about growing country’s first GM crop, insect-resistant cowpea
Farmers in Tudun Wada in Kano State have expressed joy at the release of the new Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) ...
AquaBounty ‘on track’ to sell GM salmon by year’s end, despite court ruling calling for more environmental impact data
The FDA should have given more consideration to the risks genetically modified AquAdvantage salmon posed to wild populations before approving ...
Viewpoint: GM cotton failed India’s farmers? Another study says yes, but relies on false assumptions and misinterpreted data
Insect-resistant Bt cotton has been the subject of controversial debates for many years. Bt cotton is one of the few ...
Thailand advances legislation to repeal GM crop cultivation ban for second time in 5 years
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment anticipates that the Biodiversity Law, which includes biosafety regulations covering research, field trial, ...
‘If you have no food, you have hunger’: Why one Nigerian biotech scientist breeds drought-tolerant and biofortified corn
Nigerian scientist Dr. Sylvester Oikeh has long used his research prowess to advance healthy crops for humanitarian purposes. His motivation ...
McPlant: McDonalds poised to launch proprietary menu of plant-based meats in 2021
On [November 9], the fast-food giant [McDonald’s] announced it is developing a new line of menu items called the "McPlant." ...
It’s ‘ethically unacceptable’ to ban GMOs if it increases malnutrition, Colombian biotech scientist warns
[I]n Colombia several congressmen presented a draft legislative act to modify article 81 of the constitution to "prohibit entry into ...
How do you make a GMO? FDA’s step-by-step guide to genetically engineering a crop
Identify: To produce a GMO plant, scientists first identify what trait they want that plant to have, such as resistance ...
EPA: Gene-edited crops and other ‘green’ pesticide alternatives on the way
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is optimistic that new and greener alternatives are on the way to help farmers to protect ...
GM corn coming to Kenya? Local researchers petition government to approve Bt insect-resistant maize
According to Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organisation (KARLO) Director General Dr Eliud Krieger, the research agency has sought approval ...
Judge orders FDA to assess potential impact of escaped GM AquAdvantage salmon on wild fish
The Food and Drug Administration must evaluate the risks posed if genetically engineered salmon escape into the wild, a federal ...
Viewpoint: ‘Misguided enthusiasm’ to save honeybees threatens wild pollinators
The rise in hobby beekeeping, now a trendy activity for hundreds of thousands of Americans, followed strong awareness campaigns to “save the bees.” ...
Using GM crops to safely feed more people is a ‘no brainer,’ plant scientist says
Whether drought, disease, or simply increasing the efficiency of crops, [Borglaug Institute director Elsa] Murano and her colleagues work every ...
EU crop gene-editing rules block efforts to fight climate change, 50 science institutions argue
The new ALLEA report “Genome Editing for Crop Improvement” presents the state of the art of scientific evidence in the ...
COVID-19 pandemic may boost public acceptance of Ghana’s GM cowpea
The COVID-19 pandemic is increasing public interest in local food production, which may boost consumer acceptance of the insect-resistant genetically ...
Gene-edited chrysanthemums illustrate how to prevent gene flow from GM plants to wild relatives
Researchers from Fukui Prefectural University and National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in Japan reported simultaneous TALEN-mediated knockout of chrysanthemum ...
France pledged to ban glyphosate, but regulators say phasing out weedkiller probably isn’t possible
The long-awaited publication of the latest report from the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) concerning ...
Kenya advances GM maize to improve yields, reduce pesticide use
Kenya has taken a major step toward increasing its food and animal feed production, while reducing pesticide use, by planting ...
