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.
Should we create ‘genetically superior’ bee species resistant to varroa mites?
In Australia, the bee industry is trying to find a way to protect Aussie bees from the varroa mite before ...
EPA reverses course, says neonicotinoid insecticides benefit soybeans, other crops
EPA has reversed an Obama-era determination that seeds treated with commonly-used neonicotinoid insecticides bring little benefit to soybean production, a ...
Gates Foundation, EU pledge over $500 million for agricultural research and innovation
The European Union together with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged ... more than €500 million [$589 million] over ...
Open source science: Scientists researching rice plant genetics agree to not file for patents
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a nonprofit established in the 2014 Farm Bill with bipartisan congressional support, ...
Restoring soil health: Synthetic fertilizer use could be cut, nutrients restored with GMO bacteria
[A recent study] shows how genetically modified soil micro-organisms can help restore nutrients in the soil to increase crop yield ...
EU may vote on complete ban of neonicotinoid insecticides this week
EU countries are poised to vote on a proposal to introduce tougher restrictions on three neonicotinoids in the coming days ...
Viewpoint: ‘Radical change’ needed to make global food system sustainable
The Green Revolution of the post-World War II era has rightly been hailed as a huge achievement for humankind. Transformation ...
Would switching to organic farming cut greenhouse gas emissions?
A new study, led by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, gives the impression that a large-scale shift to organic farming ...
Organic movement schism? Fight over hydroponics puts $50 billion industry in limbo
The USDA's ruling that crops grown using hydroponics and aquaculture can be labeled organic set off a heated debate over ...
Top 5 most ridiculous types of Non-GMO Project labeled products
The stuff with no G to M It would stand to reason that any Non-GMO Project certified item would have ...
Women in science: Geneticist Pamela Ronald, developer of GMO flood-resistant rice
[T]he breakthrough that finally created rice seeds strong enough to stand up to blight and flood came when Pamela Ronald ...
‘Roundup Facing the Judges’: Documentary promotes glyphosate conspiracy theories, pseudoscience
[Editor's note: Øystein Heggdal is a Norwegian agronomist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and natural resources. He is ...
Viewpoint: EU’s glyphosate herbicide fight reveals limits of Europe-wide governance
Glyphosate, the ubiquitous herbicide, may not really be poison, but it could well be the most politicized substance in Europe. In ...
Neonicotinoid seed treatments ‘best option’ for soil pests, but should be used judiciously, study says
The topic of neonicotinoid seed treatments (NSTs) continues to keep researchers searching for answers. A study from the University of ...
Should organic farming embrace new plant breeding techniques like CRISPR?
Over the last few years, new tools have rapidly created possibilities in plant breeding. These New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) ...
Viewpoint: Food Evolution movie shows GMO supporters ‘you’re not alone’
If you have the opportunity to see the documentary “Food Evolution,” do it. It has been the most talked-about food and agriculture ...
‘To lose them would be a disaster’: More than 20 wild relatives of modern crops added to ‘threatened’ list
Wild relatives of modern crops deemed crucial for food security are being pushed to the brink of extinction, according to ...
Viewpoint: Anti-GMO scare tactics show need for scientific literacy
Many of the arguments made by organic supporters and GMO critics aren't supported by science. That combination can have harmful ...
Climate change fighting plants: Genetically modified crops could trap half of human CO2 emissions in soil
The Salk Institute has enlisted a new ally in the effort to address the anticipated dangers of climate change — plants. Scientists ...
What can other African countries learn from South Africa’s experience with GMO crops?
Despite promotion of GM crops, adoption has been slow across the continent. South Africa began using the technology in the ...
Leaked draft of EU report reveals mixed findings on neonicotinoids and bees
Draft findings from the European Food Safety Authority feed into a long-running, heated and so far inconclusive debate into why Europe’s ...
USDA again probes National Organic Program’s ‘weak’ import controls, putting label’s integrity at risk
The USDA’s National Organic Program completed more complaint reviews and investigations that it received in 2017. It finished work on ...
Viewpoint: 12 ways organic activists mislead consumers
Does the organic food industry use deceptive marketing practices to scare wealthy customers away from conventional agriculture and GMOs? The ...
How anti-biotech environmental groups are trying to kill roll-out of AquaBounty’s sustainable salmon
If you love Atlantic salmon, what you are eating is almost certainly farm-raised, despite what the label might say. The ...
Genetic engineering, synthetic biology poised to boost photosynthesis and carbon capture
In a feature article published in the open access journal eLife, an international team of experts led by Dr Bonnie Wintle ...
Viewpoint: Why it’s time to start talking about a glyphosate herbicide replacement
Don’t get me wrong. I fully recognise the current need for Irish tillage and grassland farmers to use the herbicide ...
Drought-resistant plant genes could lead to crops that need less water
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified a common set of genes that enable different ...
