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
Earth-friendly beef: How sustainable grazing practices can protect soil, water, and biodiversity
I wasn’t one of the lucky kids who got to grow up on a ranch. No one back then would ...
Viewpoint: Free speech vs science—Should colleges invite anti-GMO speakers they ‘know’ spread misinformation?
In the face of climate change, the expectation for evidence is doubled because of the dramatic implications ...
Cloned animals: A safe, sustainable source of food and medicine?
It's now possible to clone animals and use them to produce a wide variety of valuable products, including staple foods ...
Podcast: Sierra Club endorses biotech chestnut tree; GM salmon coming this April? Downside of genetic engineering
Historically a vocal opponent of genetically engineered crops, the Sierra Club has endorsed the release of a disease-resistant, genetically modified ...
Climate change vs agriculture: Can one farming method—conventional, organic or agroecology—help slow global warming?
Climate change and agriculture appear joined at the hip. Agriculture—through methane, carbon dioxide, and land use—has had an impact on ...
Viewpoint: FDA’s burdensome animal gene-editing rules hinder innovation. USDA takeover could spur progress
Over the last two months, USDA made two revolutionary moves regarding the regulation of genetically engineered (GE) animals: to take ...
‘Clean’ seafood? The global struggle to make aquaculture a sustainable source of protein
Surprising to many, over half of the fish we eat comes from fish farms. But some farms, particularly from parts ...
Podcast: GMO ‘terminator’ seeds debunked; ‘Alternative medicine’ harms women; Cancer-fighting CRISPR beer?
Anti-GMO advocates have for years warned about the dangers of genetically modified, sterile "terminator" seeds. But there's a problem: these ...
GMO salmon two months from introduction: AquaBounty fights anti-biotechnology misinformation as it gears up for April launch of fast-growing, sustainable AquAdvantage salmon
AquaBounty's genetically engineered, fast-growing salmon could be sold at US restaurants and grocery stores as soon as this April. The ...
Viewpoint: Eco-hypocrisy—Mexico bans GM corn and glyphosate to promote sustainability while subsidizing fossil fuels
Imagine for a moment that the US government banned smart phones and tablets and forced everyone to use home telephones ...
Catching COVID from food: A year’s worth of research dispels panic
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, not much was known about SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus) and its survival in food, on various materials ...
Viewpoint: Challenging organic myths — Big Ag doesn’t ‘control the food supply’ with patented GMO seeds, patented seeds are planted on organic farms, too
GMO critics demonize the concept of seed patents, equating it with 'Big Ag' and what they see as a takeover ...
Farm fraud: Consumers spend billions on food that might not be organic
Organic food sales are growing rapidly, with an estimated worth of $272.18 billion by 2027. The premium prices paid for ‘organics’ ...
Podcast: ‘Greedy’ factory farms? Milk without cows; Vaccine for melanoma
Farms are larger today than ever before, but it's not because they're "greedy factory farms." Milk of the future might ...
Viewpoint: Promoting science with ideology — Pro-GMO vegans use animal rights advocacy to boost vaccine, biotech acceptance
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that we are part of a living, evolving ecosystem and often at its mercy ...
Gene-edited crops may be coming to Europe—if scientists can avoid the PR mistakes of the GMO debate
Once the UK left the EU, it would be free to invest in gene editing of crops and livestock to “feed ...
Viewpoint: ‘Terminator seeds’—the anti-GMO bogeyman that never existed
Although GMO sterile 'terminator' seeds never existed, the idea has distorted the discussion for decades ...
Podcast: COVID vaccine fears mirror GMO skepticism; coronavirus and pregnancy; GM crops in organic farming
The growing opposition to coronavirus vaccines bears striking resemblance to anti-GMO fears that have circulated online for more than 20 ...
Misleading glyphosate-cancer study Part 2: ‘Symptom of a widespread problem’—Concerns about ideological activism in science research and communications
For the better part of five years, a coalition of environmental groups and tort lawyers (aided by the mainstream press) ...
The glyphosate debacle: How a misleading study about the alleged risks of the weedkiller Roundup and gullible reporters helped fuel a cancer scare
As biotech giant Bayer prepares to spend $10 billion settling thousands of lawsuits alleging its weedkiller Roundup (and its active ...
What the heck are ‘anti-nutrients’? Despite the scary-sounding name, they may have important health benefits
Maybe you’re trying to eat healthier these days, aiming to get enough of the good stuff and limit the less-good ...
Viewpoint: Pesticides can be harmful—but they’re also ‘vital to human health and global food security’
As much as pesticides are a threat to certain ecosystems, they’re also responsible for providing the planet with food in ...
Gene editing could produce more flavorful decaf coffee — and combat public’s anti-GMO sentiment
Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, but that cup can come with a price of jitters or ...
Podcast: FDA’s double standard? Geneticist Alison Van Eenennaam examines why agency defends GE crops but overregulates GE animals
After more than 30 years of development and regulatory review, AquaBounty's fast-growing, GM salmon is poised to hit US grocery ...
Uncertain future: Will Europe’s Green Deal encourage or cripple crop gene-editing innovation?
The EU Green Deal and its Farm-to-Fork and Biodiversity Strategies stipulate ambitious policy objectives that will fundamentally impact agricultural businesses ...
With fertile land and water growing scarce, high-yield wheat and barley could help save millions from hunger
By the time I am 60 years old in 2050, our global population will have increased to 9.7 billion people. That’s ...
Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch: The chemists who revolutionized fertilizer production and ‘changed the world for the better’
Without the efforts of Haber and Bosch, the world’s population would be much smaller ...
