GE
Monsanto, Dow consider legal action against Maui GE ban
Agribusiness giants Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences are looking at legal options in the wake of passage of a moratorium on genetically engineered crops by voters in Maui County, Hawaii, says DTN.
Monsanto settles rogue GE wheat case for $2.375 million
Seed and chemical company Monsanto announced an agreement with soft white wheat growers to settle three class-action lawsuits that arose from the discovery that some of its experimental genetically engineered wheat was growing wild in eastern Oregon.
Berkeley soda tax and Maui GE limits win, GMO labels lose
Voters in Berkeley, Calif, approved the nation's first municipal soda tax and Maui County, Hawaii, passed an initiative that bars cultivation of genetically engineered crops during Tuesday's general elections. Statewide referendums in Oregon and California to require labels of food made with genetically modified organisms were defeated.
Syngenta says it won’t back down in GE corn squabble
Seed company Syngenta says it acted responsibly in selling two strains of genetically engineered corn that are approved for cultivation in the United States although not allowed for import by China, says DTN.
Roberts says little about agriculture in Kansas Senate race
Sen Pat Roberts, potentially Agriculture Committee chairman if Republicans win control of the Senate, rarely mentions his record on agriculture - defender of crop insurance and author of the 1996 Freedom to Farm law - on the campaign trail.
Rogue GE wheat puts USDA controls in doubt
Food and environmental groups are renewing calls for the Agriculture Department "to adopt a slower, more stringent approval process" for genetically engineered crops, says USA Today.
EPA approves Dow weedkiller combo of 2,4-D and glyphosate
The EPA cleared the Dow weedkiller Enlist Duo, which contains the herbicides glyphosate and 2,4-D, for use on genetically engineered corn and soybean in six Farm Belt states. "This action provides an additional tool for the agricultural community to manage resistant weeds," it said. EPA will decide later whether to register the weedkiller for use in the rest of the major corn and soybean states. On Sept 17, USDA approved the GE corn and soybean strains created by Dow to tolerate the herbicide.
Soil-savings from GE crops is a myth, says green group
Genetically engineered crops get undue credit for reducing soil losses on cropland, says the Environmental Working Group. In a three-page analysis, EWG says the credit really should go to so-called conservation compliance and the Conservation...
Syngenta wanted to grow GE corn in China
Seed company Syngenta, whose genetically engineered corn is blamed for a disruption in U.S. corn exports to China, says it applied in 2010 to cultivate the same variety in China, says Reuters.
“It’s hard to avoid” GE foods, says consumer group
The vast majority of U.S. corn and soybeans are genetically engineered varieties - 93 percent of corn and 94 percent of soybeans this year, according to a USDA report - and Consumer Reports magazine says its tests show they are abundantly present in many processed foods.
Farmers sue Syngenta for $1 billion over lost sales
Class-action lawsuits asking $1 billion in damages from seed company Syngenta were filed in federal court Iowa, Illinois and and Nebraska.
Brazil exporter to collect soybean royalties for Monsanto
At least one soybean exporter in Brazil has agreed to collect royalties for Monsanto, the giant seed company, from growers who plant biotech seeds that contain Monsanto's traits, said Reuters, citing industry sources.
New law bans GE salmon in California waters
Gov Jerry Brown signed a law that bans commercial production of genetically engineered salmon in California waters, says the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. The state already barred spawning, incubation, or cultivation of transgenic salmon in the Pacific Ocean.
China tries to rally public support for GE crops
The Chinese government has launched a campaign on TV, newspapers and the Internet to build public support for genetically engineered crops, says Reuters.
USDA sees no adverse impact from GE moth
In a 149-page environmental assessment, the Agriculture Department says untoward impacts "are unlikely" from a field test of genetically engineered diamondback moths.
USDA assesses impact of GE diamondback moth
The Agriculture Department set a 30-day comment period on its environmental assessment of a proposed release of genetically engineered diamondback moths in upstate New York.
China halts work on biotech rice and corn varieties
China's Agriculture Ministry decided not to renew permits that allowed development of three varieties of genetically engineered rice and corn, a decision that...
GE food critics to speak at National Research Council
Skeptics of genetically engineered crops will speak during a National Research Council meeting on Sept 15 and 16. A panel of experts was appointed by the council to look at the record of GE crops and future prospects.