Sustainability/Climate Change
Food production needs are expected to roughly double over the next 35 years as the world population grows and people in under developed countries become more affluent and demand more calories. Healthy ecosystems are vital to the survival of all organisms. How can we grow crops without harming the environment? How can we balance technology and global food security? What is the right balance of organic and conventional farming? What role can genetics and biotechnology play without compromising the needs of tomorrow?
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
Winemakers abandoning organic status for sustainability, improved taste
The shift has been more common in France, where wineries have cited concerns about the environment and copper buildup from ...
Debate swirls over yield and bee health impact of neonicotinoid seed treatments
A study by Purdue entomologist Christian Krupke [May 2017] was the latest to conclude that honeybees are widely exposed to ...
India’s National Academy of Agriculture Sciences backs commercialization of GM mustard
Agriculture scientists came out in the open on Monday, backing the indigenous genetically modified mustard, which they said would lead ...
Slugging it out with a new contender in the GMO debate
“I thought it might be worth meeting,” [said Penn State University entomologist John Tooker], “because I read the piece where ...
Uganda: Successful field trial of blight-resistant GMO potato
In Uganda, about 300,000 smallholder households grow potatoes for their subsistence living and for income. Loss due to late blight ...
How genetic engineering could boost biofuel production in Africa and Latin America
Bioenergy production techniques that are already available could be used to supply up to 30 percent of the world’s energy ...
Can consumers rely on the credibility of the USDA organic label?
The reliability of the USDA organic label is under fire by the Washington Post, challenging the practices of some large ...
Americans’ worries about GMOs–and indifference to debate–increasing, polls show
Polls examined here document a general, though not monotonic, decline in confidence that the federal government can ensure the safety ...
‘All natural fetish’ fuels ‘counter-rationalist mindset’ on GMOs in Vermont
Immersed as we are in these exquisite pastoral gifts, Vermonters tend to forget that Mother Nature might be lovely, but ...
Crop biodiversity: ‘Under appreciated’ weapon in fight to end hunger
[Editor’s note: Mohamed Bakarr is Lead Environmental Specialist at the Global Environment Facility. Kevin Pixley is the Director of the ...
‘Monsanto gas mask man’ photos distort GMO debate and disrespect farmers
[Editor's note: Terrance Bradshaw is a research associate at the University of Vermont and director of the university's Apple and Grape ...
5 ‘game changer’ technologies improving modern agriculture
1. GPS technology GPS may be the biggest game changer in agriculture. While things like autosteer have made driving the ...
Indian agriculture expert: Don’t let GM mustard go the way of GMO eggplant
[Editor’s note: K.K. Narayanan is an agriculture expert and founder of Metahelix Life Sciences.] Seven-and-a-half years ago, BT Brinjal [eggplant], ...
How genetic engineering helped reduce cotton’s environmental footprint
Cotton’s environmental footprint is much less noticeable today than was the case in the early 1960s, thanks largely to science ...
GMO ‘agvocates’ should stop ‘mud slinging’ about organics
[Editor’s note: Terrance Bradshaw is a research associate at the University of Vermont and director of the university’s Apple and Grape ...
Texas corn farmer: GMOs and glyphosate are ‘so much less risky for me and for the public’
GMO in your food is hugely controversial with Americans. … For guidance, I'm relying on this 600-page, landmark report from ...
Genetic tweaks could boost yields of pigeon peas, important source of protein in developing world
Researchers have identified key genes associated with flowering time in the pigeon pea, a finding that could lead to more ...
Can EPA ‘restore science and common sense’ to neonicotinoid insecticide regulations?
[A] federal district court judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency failed to consult with the FWS before approving ...
Organic food imports plagued by ‘corruption, bribery and falsified documents’
Roughly 40% of all organic food sold in America tests positive for prohibited pesticides, according to two USDA studies. And, ...
20-year GMO report card: Biotech shrinks ag’s ecological impact, increased farm income $167 billion
Genetic modification has had a dramatic impact on crop production, agricultural sustainability and the economics of farming, in the 26 ...
Talking Biotech: Can biotechnology help protect forests from pests, pathogens and climate change?
University of Kentucky forest researcher Ellen Crocker: Genetic engineering, speed breeding and gene drives could help fend off threats to ...
Does Consumer Reports mislead readers by promoting Non-GMO Project label?
Consumer Reports claims to provide consumers with unbiased information about products and services. But the site is accused of exploiting ...
Epigenetically modified cotton could lead to hardier varieties without altering genes
With prices down and weather patterns unpredictable, these are tough times for America’s cotton farmers, but new research led by ...
Biofortification: Is it the next ‘Green Revolution’ for more nutritious food?
Plant breeders and biotechnologists are working to make crops more nutritious--a process called biofortification--to improve the diets and health of ...
US beekeepers report lowest overwinter losses since survey began in 2006
Beekeepers across the United States lost 33 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2016 to ...
Unsustainable farming: Why your organic T-shirt might be bad for the environment
The word “organic” is a powerful marketing tool. In clothing—just as in food—brands love to tout their use of organic ...
Video: ‘Weed seed pulverizing machine’ could help combat herbicide resistance
Known by a name seemingly out of a superhero comic book, the Harrington Seed Destructor is a mechanical beast that ...