Daily Food & Ag Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of agricultural and food issues, including the GMO debate, conventional and organic farming, regulations, new breeding technologies and sustainability. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Kenyan farmers, scientists and consumers hold their breaths as decision to lift long-time ban on GMOs punted until the fall
Efforts by the Kenyan Government to have the orders barring the importation, distribution & adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) ...
Viewpoint: ‘Bayer is desperate to put glyphosate litigation in the rear-view mirror’ — and they’re considering splitting the company in two to solve the problem
Bayer is desperate to put glyphosate litigation in the rear-view mirror. Just. Get. It. Over. That has the Bayer brain ...
Meat makes up more than 90% of pet food ingredients world wide. Here’s how AI and precision fermentation could transform what our furry friends eat
Like other consumer product sectors, the pet food industry is now a part of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” the term ...
Eating insects: Ants come in many intriguing flavors. What’s the chemistry behind this phenomenon?
Edible insects are already considered delicacies in some countries, but researchers believe understanding their flavour profiles is essential for the ...
“Organic beef,” “GMO-free,” and “100% natural” Challenging 5 eco-friendly food claims
"Organic beef", "GMO-free" and "100% natural" are just some of the countless claims designed to attract the eyes of eco-conscious ...
‘It was a big challenge to dispel the narrative that TELA Maize is harmful’: Biotechnology solutions spearheaded by Nigerian scientists can address crop diseases, pests, and unpredictable climate conditions
Over the years, farming in Africa and Nigeria in particular have become not only unattractive but discouraging as a result ...
Will AI conquer herbicide resistance? Ultra-precise targeting removes weeds with next to no impact on anything else
Weeds are growing resistant to the herbicides already on the market, and agribusiness companies like Bayer are in a desperate search ...
Viewpoint: Harnessing bacteria, fungi, and viruses — Genetically engineering microbes could help us contain climate change, if we get clear regulations
Microbes are tiny living things — such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses — that can help boost crop immunity to ...
Agroecology supporters mull threats and opportunities posed by agro-biotechnology revolution
The result of 18 months of workshops and analysis, the Agroecological Intelligence project brought together agroecological farmers and growers for a series ...
Viewpoint: One-third of greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. Here’s why that needs to change, and how we do it
Our global food system is in urgent need of transition. At present, one-third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions come from food ...
Viewpoint: Is ‘Big Food’ downplaying risks of ultra-processed foods?
The rising concern about the health impact of ultra-processed foods, or UPFs has recast the debate around food and public ...
Viewpoint: Replace Greenpeace’s ‘Save the Whales’ motto with ‘Blind the Children’
More ways to get vitamin A into people are needed. Human ingenuity being what it is, very clever people discovered ...
98% of Chinese consumers are willing to eat more plant-based foods. What’s holding them back?
When you inform people in China about the benefits of a vegan diet, nearly all of them (98%) would be ...
Brazen Beef: Do Tyson Foods’ taxpayer-subsidized ‘climate-friendly’ beef claims hold up under the microscope?
In late 2022, Tyson—one of the country’s “big four” meat packers—applied to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), seeking a ...
Right-wing influencers attempt to convince followers that drinking potentially virus-carrying raw milk provides ‘benefits’
According to James Fitzgerald, PhD, associate professor of security studies at Dublin City University, whose research focuses on conspiracy-led violent extremism, ...
Supercharged sugarcane: How CRISPR gene-editing angles of leaves optimizes photosynthesis and boosts crop yields nearly 20%
In a new study, researchers used the genetic scissors CRISPR/Cas9 system to tweak the leaf angle in sugarcane, enabling the ...
Taking Ozempic or Wegovy? Fearing reduced appetites, Nestle and other companies market food directly to people taking weight loss drugs
Millions of Americans have begun taking the pricey new drugs—particularly Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound—and millions more are expected to go ...
On the outside, not looking in: Peru again rejects opportunity to lift GMO ban
The president of the Consumer Defense Commission [of Peru], Wilson Soto Palacios, has expressed his satisfaction with the decision of ...
Raw milk provides ‘immunity’ from bird flu? Misguided beliefs spark spike in sales
Sales of raw milk in the U.S. have risen 21% since bird flu was first confirmed in dairy cattle in ...
Grazing sheep under solar panels? How ‘intercropping’ livestock and clean energy boosts animal wellfare and farmer incomes
As a flock of about 2,000 sheep graze between rows of solar panels, grazier Tony Inder wonders what all the ...
From food waste to plastic-free biodegradables? Leftover rice byproducts might be key to sustainable packaging
You know that protective outer layer you toss out before cooking rice? Scientists at Kyungpook National University in South Korea ...
How long is forever? Chemical manufacturers challenge what they believe are unscientific attacks on PFAS — what environmental activists call ‘forever chemicals’
Chemical and manufacturing groups sued the federal government [June 10] over a landmark drinking-water standard that would require cleanup of ...
More than 50% of Gen X Americans have never tried tofu or other plant-based proteins. Here’s a strategy to shake up the alt-meat market
A Dig Insights poll revealed that 64% of US consumers are looking to increase their protein intake, especially younger demographics ...
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invests $30 million in alternative proteins
In recent years, billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and others have taken an interest in farmland and ...
Antibacterial wax coating made from cinnamon? Here is a ‘natural’ way to extend shelf life of food
A team of researchers at Texas A&M University determined a way to make fruits and vegetables last longer — using only ingredients approved ...
Viewpoint: Why advocating for idealistic activist goals is ‘not necessarily heroic and may not be benign’
A precise gene-editing technology can make crops tastier, more nutritious, and more resilient to climate change. But can it avoid ...
Milk without cows? As bird flu crisis persists, biotechnology may offer safer workaround
A precise gene-editing technology can make crops tastier, more nutritious, and more resilient to climate change. But can it avoid ...
