Andrew Porterfield
Are seed patent protections abused by Monsanto and other agro-corporations?
Anti-GMO critics often claim major agricultural companies use seed patents to control farmers rights, which they say also limits innovation ...
To protect vineyards from pests and reduce pesticide use, CRISPR could be the answer
The powdery mildew fungus decimates vineyards around the globe. As pesticides become less effective, some scientists are turning to gene ...
‘Big Ag’ may resonate with activists, but what does it really mean?
For some, GMOs are synonymous with 'Big Ag'? For others, 'Big Ag' means something entirely different. Does 'Big Ag' even ...
Kissing cousins: Understanding the genetic risks and benefits when close relatives marry
Endogamy––the marriage of relatives––is a controversial cultural practice. It can play surprising roles in health and disease ...
EU re-approval of glyphosate herbicide dodges farming economic woes—for now
If the European Union eventually phases out all the popular glyphosate herbicide, the loss of farm productivity could cost Europe ...
Can the microbiome join DNA and fingerprints in the CSI toolkit?
Some scientists argue that our individual microbiomes are unique enough that they can be used to help identify the perpetrators ...
European farmers: Finding replacement for glyphosate is no easy task
As European politicians move toward blocking the use of glyphosate, farmers there are facing the prospect of using less-effective replacements ...
There’s ‘Big Ag’ and ‘Big Organic’—How much does ‘big’ matter when it comes to sustainability?
It's the way crops are farmed not the farm's size that matters when it comes to sustainability ...
Genetic engineering and gene silencing could fight deadly crop mycotoxins—if not blocked by activists
Aflatoxins are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in crop losses annually. Farmers have struggled to control the troublesome ...
Do GMOs, pesticides cause cancer? The Amish would say ‘no’
Amish farmers may not get cancer as much, but it's not because they don't use pesticides or GMOs. In fact, ...
GMO that’s not all GMO: Monsanto’s rootworm-fighting corn seed uses RNA interference
The EPA's relatively quick approval of a new Monsanto seed trait drew criticism from anti-GMO groups that complained about a ...
Did GMO connection prompt Gates Foundation to halt support for corn-aflatoxin breakthrough?
When Gates Foundation reviewers rejected a researcher's bid for new funding, one of the reasons cited was a concern over ...
Genetics and obesity: Expanding waistlines can’t be blamed on poor lifestyle choices alone
The sources of obesity look more biological, and less psychological, which opens new avenues toward addressing the crisis. Finding answers ...
Monsanto shill alert: Does industry funded GMO research bias findings?
Can consumers trust "independent" studies funded by corporations that have found genetically modified foods safe? Anti-GMO activists say 'no.' But ...
Genetic testing lags for mental illness, forcing parents to seek answers online
Genetic counseling for potential mental illness in children should be just as responsive as counseling for "physical" disease. Right now, ...
The story behind the well-funded opposition to block AquaBounty’s sustainable GMO salmon
Opposition to the world's first GMO animal approved for human consumption was fueled by a variety of sources --from quacks ...
Why we need peaceful co-existence between GMOs and organics
Could organic and GM farming step past the rhetoric and vitriol, and co-exist? The science says yes ...
Can we trust the eyes of those who witness crimes?
The credibility of eyewitness accounts has taken some hits from DNA evidence-based refutation of trial testimony. But there's more here ...
Vitamins, nutrients can be harder to find in organic, non-GMO foods
Supply chain issues -- and restrictions imposed by anti-GMO groups -- may be responsible for what appears to be a ...
Dicamba drift fiasco: Example of failed GMO-related chemical technology?
Several states have banned the use of a recently reformulated dicamba herbicide after farmers complained about damaging chemical drift. Identifying ...
Are your food choices killing you?
Scientists, the media and policymakers often make glib connections between certain foods, nutrition and disease. The links are a lot ...
Is it true there are no long term GMO safety studies?
Anti-GMO activists call for longer animal feed studies to assess the safety of GMOs. But are longer tests really necessary? ...
Global hunger challenge requires mix of high-tech, GM and organic methods
As the world's population booms, solutions are needed to feed an additional 2 billion humans by 2050. Can organic and ...
Plight of the monarch: Threatened by more than the loss of milkweed food supply
Anti-GMO critics often blame the herbicide glyphosate for monarch butterfly population declines, as it kills the insect's habitat--weeds. But a ...
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 ...
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 ...
What role might genes play in ‘creating’ terrorists?
As more terrorism sweeps across the globe, scientists begin to look at a biological basis for organized violent behavior ...
Status climb with caution: Social mobility may take a toll on our DNA
'Moving on up' is a cherished American value (and important in other societies, too). But there could be a cost ...