Food & Agriculture Features
The GLP explores the role of genetic engineering in food production and the polarized debate surrounding it. We highlight the work of our own writers, as well as that of contributors from around the Web. The GLP does not take a position on genetics-related issues; any opinions expressed belong to the authors.
Categories include:
- Chemicals and pesticides
- Organics
- Conventional crops
- New breeding technologies
- Animal biotechnology
- Food systems
- Sustainability
- Regulations
- Politics
- Ideology
Scientists savage study purportedly showing health dangers of Monsanto’s GM corn
Are GM foods harmful or nutritionally less beneficial when compared to conventional or organic foods? Scientists and regulators almost universally ...
Wal-Mart resists protesters, will sell GM corn
The protest over Walmart’s decision to sell genetically modified sweet corn is building. Opponents of GM foods are alarmed and ...
GMOs and California: To label or not to label?
Steve Savage, a plant pathologist working with agricultural technology, gives his explanation of why voters should absolutely vote 'no' on ...
A song tries to go beyond the ‘OMG’ reaction to GMOs
David Holmes and Andrew Bean, two graduates from NYU, have created a hip hop music video called “OMG GMOs”, aimed ...
“Big Organic” outspends pro-GM forces in California labeling fight
Both the 'yes' and 'no' side of the California GMO labeling controversy have been fundraising to raise money for the ...
High hopes for drought-resistant corn
The United States is having one of the worst droughts recorded in over 50 years. More than three-quarters of U.S ...
To label or not to label? The California GMO labeling initiative gears up for the big vote
The anticipation builds as voters prepare to head to the polls for November’s election. And for those voters in California, ...
Florida could gain a new resident: The genetically engineered mosquito
The British biotechnology firm Oxitec has applied to the FDA to release a genetically modified mosquito in Florida to prevent ...
The California GM labeling controversy joins list of historical food scares
Writer Kevin Folta takes aim at anti-GM activists in this piece, comparing the California GM labeling controversy with other food ...
Despite record heat wave and drought, genetic engineering will result in productive corn season
Corn farmers expected this to be a record year, the biggest since 1937. But after months with little or no ...
Climate change drives salmon evolution
Salmon DNA records stretching back over 30 years show that nature has increasingly selected for fish that migrate from the ...
Huh? Activists embrace new foods mutated with toxic chemicals and radiation, reject safe GMOs
Anti-GMO campaigners take no issue with new crops created by soaking seeds or tissues in toxic chemicals or subjecting them ...
Part II: How biotech corn and roundup ready soy work – And why they should not scare you
In Part II of his series of articles responding to anti-biotech activists, Professor Michael Eisen explains the reasons why GM ...
Part 1: GMOs: Gene transfer is neither unnatural nor dangerous
Anti-agricultural biotech NGOs and activists raise a common and familiar set of fears in the campaign to get biotech foods ...
GMO labels limit choices, hurt the poor
To build support for the California GMO labeling law, NGOs and activist groups have played on consumer fears about a ...
Australian farmer: Don’t let the biotech revolution leave us behind
In southern Australia, the soil there is some of the driest in all of the world. To cope with drought ...
American Medical Association comes out against GMO labeling
On June 19, the American Medical Association adopted a policy statement that says “there is no scientific justification for special ...
Genetic engineering turns mosquitoes into disease fighting weapons
Good intentions often go bad. Questions over the potential danger from spraying DDT to control malaria and other insect-borne scourges ...
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 ...
Food security: Socio-econonomic and environmental impacts of crop biotechnology
The economic impact of crop biotechnology continued to grow, according to a recently released report. The growth was particularly dramatic ...
Soviet entrepreneur holds fate of GM salmon
If Americans ever eat genetically engineered fast-growing salmon, it might be because of a Soviet biologist turned oligarch turned government ...
As gene mapping nears $1,000, will it improve our health?
The cost of mapping a person's full genetic profile has been dropping quickly. Now, doctors are struggling with a new ...
Risk and DNA: In search of the money gene
What makes someone want to start a business? That was what the young economist Philipp Koellinger was trying to figure ...
Genes & obesity
The latest Genomics & Health Impact Update has a primer on genetic links to obesity—a must read. It also links ...
Biotech Bogeymen
If you’re worried about pesticides, then the San Francisco Chronicle has a sweeping indictment of genetically engineered (GE) crops to ...
Will Gattaca come true?
Noninvasive, early fetal tests for sex, paternity and chromosomal conditions will change pregnancy dramatically- and raise tricky ethical questions.A scientist ...
