Food & Ag 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
GLP Podcast: Organic food industry marketing fraud; 200 dangerous chemicals in drinking water?
Are organic foods really pesticide-free? Nope. Organic industry marketing misinformation is everywhere. An anonymous French whistleblower claims to have found ...
Avian flu virus detected in raw milk from infected dairy cows. Are we in danger of it spreading to our food supply?
It was three months ago when we wrote about the surge of the H5N1 bird flu strain that had by then already ...
Viewpoint: Agribashing and the French media — Paper withdraws ‘fake news’ viral article claiming drinking water contains 200 ‘dangerous’ chemicals
In the ordinary chronicling of agribashing, we recently witnessed in France a ‘scary’ report on Google News or MSN News ...
How microplastics impact our food and our health
Small pieces of plastic, now termed microplastics have infiltrated all ecosystems, posing a severe threat to wildlife…and now us. New research has ...
Bumblebees threatened by pesticides? Independent German university study finds wild bees ‘relatively resistant’ to even potent chemical cocktails
Bumblebees appear to be quite resistant to common pesticides. This is shown by a new study, the results of which ...
Are we facing an ‘Insect Apocalypse’ caused by ‘intensive, industrial’ farming and agricultural chemicals? The media say yes; Science says ‘no’
The media call it the “Insect Apocalypse”. In the past few years, the phrase has become an accepted truth of ...
Viewpoint: Do we have to give up beef to limit climate change?
Are cows really a major cause of climate change? Wealthy nations are not pushing people to switch to a plant-based ...
GLP podcast: RFK Jr. recycles ‘gay frogs’ pesticide conspiracy; GMO v organic debate is over; Scientist behind gene-edited twins back in the lab
RFK, Jr. has resurrected the long-debunked speculation that atrazine, a low-toxicity weedkiller, causes sexual dysphoria in frogs—and humans. The oft-reported ...
Viewpoint: Public investment in agricultural innovation is woefully inadequate. Here’s what should be done
Doubling government funding for agricultural research and development (R&D) would have tremendous environmental and economic benefits, according to a new ...
Viewpoint: Here’s why the EPA needs to relax regulations that make it harder for farmers to access pest-resistant biotech crops
Plant pests and disease have a massive global impact, causing the loss of 20–40% of crop production and costing over USD 220 billion ...
Are GMOs causing an increase in allergies?
The potential for allergies from foods with genetically modified ingredients is no higher than that in any food, including organics ...
Video viewpoint: Humans as frogs? Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claims that unsubstantiated but perceived rise in male sexual dysphoria is driven by atrazine in our water supply
Conspiracy nut Robert Kennedy, Jr. is desperately trying to convince the American voting populace that he is indeed a serious ...
Viewpoint: US regulators are not keeping up with lightning-fast advances in biotechnology. How can that gap be closed?
Improved crop genetics can help protect crops from pests and disease, reduce food waste, increase yields, limit deforestation, and decrease agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements in ...
Viewpoint: Here’s how genetically engineered fruits and vegetables will soon emerge as a grocery store ‘selling point rather than a scare tactic’
Fruits and veggies are nature’s gift to humanity. Chock full of vitamins, delicious and colorful, they deserve a starring role ...
What is ‘carbon farming’ and could it provide a path to a more sustainable agricultural future?
As the effects of climate change intensify and paths for limiting global warming narrow, politicians, media and environmental advocates have rallied behind ...
Uruguay joins gene-editing nations, revamps CRISPR crop approval process
The ministries of Environment and Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries will work together in the analysis of the New Genetic Improvement ...
Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen Deception: No, your fruit and vegetables are not ‘soaked’ with pesticides
In supermarket conversations (and yes, I do have them) people are scared to death about their fruits and vegetables. I ...
Viewpoint: Seed patent controversy — ‘Does intellectual property in agriculture drive up costs for farmers and restrict access?’ Here are the numbers
Among the many misconceptions about modern agriculture, perhaps one of the most pervasive surrounds the role of intellectual property (IP) ...
CRISPR gene editing applications are expanding dramatically in agriculture. Here are the latest advances
In the past decade, after the release of CRISPR-Cas9 as a genome-editing tool, it has revolutionized biological research. CRISPR and ...
Viewpoint: The Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list is a danger to public health put out by an organic industry funded activist group
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an anti-science activist organization ...
Viewpoint: ‘Heavy’ pesticide exposure linked to cardiovascular disease? Flawed study raises ‘troubling’ questions about public health research
What do the results really show? ...
GLP podcast: Oops — heirloom seed company markets GM tomato; Anti-biotech movement in retreat; Bill Gates does more harm than good?
An heirloom seed company that prides itself on selling GMO-free products mistakenly put a genetically engineered tomato on the cover ...
Bangladesh greenlights gene editing to ‘meet the needs of farmers and consumers’
The Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI), under the auspices of the South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP) and in collaboration ...
Costa Rica revises its biotechnology regulations, dropping restrictions on gene editing and other New Breeding Techniques
Industry experts say a November 11, 2023, update to the Costa Rican biotechnology regulatory framework facilitates utilization of innovative biotechnologies ...
Viewpoint: ‘Regulatory vigilantes’ — How former government scientists who are now high-paid ‘expert witnesses’ for predatory law firms use mass tort litigation to sidestep science
Regulatory risk management process allowed policymakers to govern over the last 60 years of technological and industrial development ...
GLP podcast: AAP refuses to print rebuttal to anti-GMO study; Billion-dollar anti-pesticide ‘money grab’; Ultra-processed food won’t make you obese?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a spurious attack on GM crops and pesticides, then reneged on its commitment ...
False dawn or new dawn for genetically engineered crops in the European Union?
It's going to be a long and difficult journey before the fate of the European crop biotechnology reform bill passed ...
