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.
Organic not healthier than other foods: Organic junk food still junk
Demand for organic foods keeping growing, and big box retailers and mainstream grocery chains, from Walmart to Costco, have jumped ...
Rebutting Organic Consumer Association’s support of Chipotle GMO-free decision
It has been exciting watching the media place a blazing spotlight on Chipotle's decision to cash in on fear and ...
Newsweek: CRISPR gene editing could ‘save world from hunger’ if anti-GMO opponents do not block it
In 2012, a new tool was invented that revolutionizes how scientists can examine—and manipulate—plant genetic processes. It’s called CRISPR-Cas9, and ...
Voters overwhelmingly reject GMO ban in Oregon county
A proposed ban on biotech crops in Oregon’s Benton County has failed by a strong margin. Nearly 73 percent of ...
Video: How genetically modified rice can save one billion people
C4 rice is a genetically modified crop projected to save one billion people by 2025. It'll give us up to 50 percent more ...
Gene editing used to create kill switch for GMOs
Genetically modified organisms hold a lot of promise for creating hardier crops and faster growing fish, but even supporters are ...
Audio: How genetic engineering is creating flavors like vanilla, saffron and grapefruit
While the technology to evaluate the flavor molecules of a particular food have become increasingly sophisticated in the past century, ...
Lab-grown ‘meat’ could reduce environmental footprint of beef
Cheap meat might leave consumers with extra cash, but it has — largely — come at the expense of animal ...
Indian scientists hope for favorable ruling from regulators on GM mustard
Indian scientists have completed final trials of a genetically modified (GM) variety of mustard and will submit a report to ...
Mark Lynas: Monsanto’s Syngenta takeover proposal a ‘big mistake’
Just what exactly is Monsanto playing at? Apparently not satisfied with its continuing role as the favourite pantomime villain for ...
Oregon county GMO ban could shut down scientific research
The GMO debate takes us to Oregon where one county is set to vote on banning GMOs. But it could ...
Global trade agreements could affect what’s on your plate, including pesticides and GMOs
International trade agreements may seem like a long way from what you’re making for dinner. But the two agreements on ...
Genetically modified plants could fight colon cancer
New research suggests scientists can use plants to deliver a type of genetic material called microRNA, which can help prevent ...
German scientists lobby for GM labeling of all products—saying there’s nothing to fear
When it comes to labeling genetically modified (GM) food, the battle lines are usually clear: Those who oppose genetic engineering ...
Could organic farming’s benefit of biodiversity complement conventional fields?
Organic farms act as a refuge for wild plants, offsetting the loss of biodiversity on conventional farms, a study suggests ...
Chipotle’s non GMO policy will likely increase pesticide use and create more ‘superweeds’
A couple weeks ago, Chipotle announced they were removing genetically engineered crops (called GMOs) from their menu. Kind of. Dan ...
Reviewing food labels: What do they really tell us?
The debate over the safety of genetically modified foods came into the spotlight when Chipotle, the popular Mexican food chain, ...
Would a Sygenta merger improve Monsanto’s image?
Monsanto’s unsolicited courtship of Swiss rival Syngenta AG has the potential to do many things for the agriculture giant. But could ...
Mother plants pass on ‘memories’ of weather, helping seeds know when to sprout
Mother knows best—even if Mom is a plant. A common flowering plant, Arabidopsis, hands down “memories” of recent temperatures to ...
Organic Consumers Association berates media for attacking Chipotle’s GMO free move
Since when do the mainstream news media, in a country that worships at the altar of capitalism and the free ...
USA Today editorial: Doubting safety of GMOs is a “kooky notion”
Americans love conspiracy theories: The 1969 moon landing actually occurred on a Hollywood set. Fluoride in drinking water was a ...
Organic food processor SunOpta to have first USDA-verified non-GMO label
A little-known but publicly traded organic food processing company, SunOpta, has persuaded the federal government that its system for detecting ...
Middle ground: Organic vs. conventional farming isn’t helping anyone
I'm pleased to see more people making the connections between our food choices, our health, and our impact on the ...
Shoppers question validity of organic labels
Organic products are all over grocery store shelves and menus, but consumers don’t have much faith in the “o” word, ...
Monsanto launches PR efforts to combat critics of Sygenta takeover, glyphosate and GMOs
As seed and chemical maker Monsanto Co. woos Swiss agrochemicals firm Syngenta, Monsanto also is trying to win over consumers ...
In midst of church disagreement on global warming, will GMOs be included in papal call to action on climate?
Any day now Pope Francis, leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, will be issuing a rare papal Encyclical ...
Bulgarian GMO researcher verbally attacked by activists
Question time following Irish scientist Padraic Flood’s presentation entitled “Why we need GMOs” saw raised voices as he came under ...
