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.
Monsanto confronts devilish public image problem with public outreach efforts
Monsanto and other large agricultural companies are attempting to turn their public image around with greater transparency and increased dialogue ...
LA Times editorial: Local ban on GMOs would not be productive, useful
A local ban on genetically modified crops and seeds in the city of Los Angeles doesn't make sense, writes the LA Times editorial ...
Analysis of Séralini data shows why the botched GMO rat study was retracted
According to PZ Myers,associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota Morris, the GMO rat study published more than ...
Food and Chemical Toxicology’s bungled handling of Séralini publication fiasco permanently damaged biotech movement
The apology from Food and Chemical Toxicology over its handling of French scientist Gilles-Éric Séralini’s now retracted paper purportedly showing ...
Popular sweet grapefruit ‘Rio Red’ a product of unregulated, process of mutagenesis
Texas’s famous Rio Red grapefruit, known for being sweeter than the average grapefruit, does not come by its sweetness naturally, ...
Despite controversial claims, RNA in genetically modified food does not affect human genes
Can RNA from a strain of genetically modified wheat silence human DNA? This recent question on GMO Answers, an industry-run ...
Slowing research on GMOs would be ‘major blow’ to agricultural production
It would be a major blow to agricultural production if research on genetically modified food were to slow or stop, ...
Mutant corn could yield new ways to fight devastating rootworm beetle without insecticides
Researchers at the University of Purdue have discovered a natural novel corn mutation that is highly susceptible to attack by ...
Ecological-focused risk assessment of malaria-fighting GM insects launched
Researchers at the University of Minnesota are attempting to create a new strategy to test the ecological impact of GM ...
GM Watch attacks Mark Lynas for alleged connections to agriculture giant Monsanto
GM Watch, a prominent anti-GMO organization, has called out Mark Lynas, British journalist and supporter of genetically modified food, for ...
When the clergy says stupid things about GMOs, credulous congregants lose
Winnipeg-Canada based Lyndsey Smith, a writer for the Real Agriculture blog, discusses why religion and science often don't mix well--and ...
Oregon county’s fears over cross-pollination between GM and organic crops unecessary
The unexpected discussion of genetically modified food in the Oregon Legislature’s special session this year renewed Oregon’s debate over GMOs ...
First GM animal closer to dinner tables as Canada streamlines GM salmon egg production process
Canada has given the go-ahead to commercial production of genetically modified salmon eggs, bringing the world's first GM food animal ...
Mississippi farmers must pay damages to Monsanto for stealing seeds
A federal judge has denied a motion for a new trial for a north Mississippi company sued by Monsanto for ...
New German coalition government plans to seek stricter regulation of GMO-fed meat
A new German coalition government, if it's formed, plans to seek tougher regulations in the European Union for labeling meat ...
‘Silent majority’ against Kauai’s anti-GMO Bill 2491 may rescue Kaua’i mayor
It is unknown how the majority of Kauai residents feel about the recent passage of anti-GMO Bill 2491, which severely ...
Facing threatened food security, Kenyan officials recommend lifting ban on GMOs
Due to low harvests and bans on imported grains from surrounding countries, government officials are urging the Kenyan government to ...
Funded research does not equal biased research, says University of Hawaii scientist
“The implication that funded research equals biased research perpetuates a misunderstanding about how universities operate,” writes Ken Grace, entomologist and ...
Anti-biotech group attempts to pressure McDonald’s into not using GM potato
In an attempt to pressure McDonald’s to not use a potato genetically modified to absorb less oil during frying, the ...
Washington voters rightly rejected GMO labeling
Washington voters made the right decision in rejecting the genetically modified food-labeling bill, writes Maxx Chatsko, a bioprocess engineer and ...
Rejection of genetically modified food opens doors for unregulated, irradiated crops
After Monsanto withdrew its applications to sell genetically modified seeds in the European Union last year, competing seed companies are ...
Podcast: University of Florida geneticist Kevin Folta tackles cancer threats, pesticide abuse and other anti-GMO myths
On the science blog imprüvism, host Armi Legge tackles the GMO debate and interviews Kevin Folta, professor and department chair ...
Threats from antis make it difficult to know what the silent majority believes in Hawaii about GMOs
Joni Kamiya, author of the blog Hawaii Farmer's Daughter and supporter of biotechnology in Hawaii, discusses the cyber attacks she ...
Oganic activist leader says loss in Washington state on labeling will galvanize anti-GMO movement
"Monsanto and Big Food confused enough Washington voters to scrape out a narrow victory in a low turn-out, off year ...
Industry hid millions more than previously reported in anti-GMO labeling fight, says Washington attorney general
A food industry group that contributed heavily to defeat Washington's GMO labeling bill I-522 concealed millions more dollars in campaign ...
Avoiding ugly confrontation, Maui mayor reaches agreement with Monsanto on pesticide disclosure
Avoiding the ugly political battles that have consumed Kaua'i and the Big Island, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa reached agreement on ...
Regulatory and safety status of global GM commodity crops
Currently there are fourteen varieties of the five genetically modified commodity food crops: alfalfa, canola, sugar beet, soybean and corn ...
