GMO
USDA deregulates GE bentgrass that escaped field trials
Based on its belief that a genetically engineered strain of bentgrass “is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk,” the USDA agency in charge of biotechnology has deregulated the grass, which escaped field trials in 2003 and grows in the wild in two Oregon counties, said Capital Press. The deregulation followed an agreement by Scotts, the developer of the grass, not to commercialize the variety.
GMO apple slices to go to Midwest stores in first U.S. sales
A year after U.S. regulators approved the Arctic apple, genetically engineered to resist browning, the first batch of the apples will go on sale in grab-and-go pouches of apple slices in 10 stores in the Midwest, says Capital Press. "A QR computer scan code on the packaging enables consumers to get information, including that the apple slices are genetically modified, but nothing directly on the packing identifies it."
Chinese company aims for U.S. sales of GMO corn seed
Origin Agritech Ltd., based in Beijing, has planted biotech corn seeds in a U.S. greenhouse, "an early step toward launching China's first GMO corn products in the United States," said Reuters. The next step, field tests of seed that resist insect and herbicide damage, are scheduled for the summer, according to the company.
Pew report reveals that many Americans don’t care what science says about GMOs
A new report on consumer beliefs by the Pew Research Center found that a lot of Americans aren’t swayed by scientific findings that GMOs are safe to eat, that food beliefs are generally non-partisan, and that plenty of Americans are generally skeptical about science.
Colorado county votes to bar GMO crops on public land
Over the next few years, farmers who rent land from Boulder County, CO, will have to phase out genetically modified corn and sugarbeet crops, said the Boulder Daily Camera. County commissioners voted 2-1 for the ban, and said research into the benefits and drawbacks of GMOs and conventionally bred seeds can proceed concurrently with the phase-out.
Growers embrace some GMO crops, but only give GMO alfalfa a handshake
Two decades after the first GMO crops were approved for cultivation, nearly half of U.S. cropland is planted with genetically engineered seeds, chiefly corn, soybeans and cotton. Farmers have greeted GE canola and sugarbeets with ardor, but alfalfa is the wallflower at the GMO party, says a USDA report.
Ag industry asks Congress to fund biotech ‘education’
Three months after Congress passed a law for mandatory disclosure of GMO ingredients in food, five dozen farm and food industry groups asked Congress to assure access to "modern agricultural tools." They also asked for a $3 million appropriation so the FDA and USDA can "educate the public" about use of biotechnology in the food and agriculture sector.
Three years in prison for Chinese national who stole valuable seed corn
U.S. district judge Stephanie Rose sentenced Mo Hailong, a Chinese national also known as Robert Mo, to three years in prison for conspiracy to steal trade secrets, the Justice Department announced. Mo took part in the theft of hybrid seed corn, developed by Monsanto and Pioneer, for shipment to a Chinese conglomerate that owns a corn seed subsidiary.
Tom Colicchio: ‘We ought to celebrate’ federal GMO law
The food movement "ought to celebrate" the federal law that will require disclosure of GMO ingredients in food instead of wishing for a complete victory, said Tom Colicchio, co-founder of the activist group Food Policy Action, during a pre-election webinar. FPA has targeted three lawmakers for defeat as backers of "rotten food policies."
On the cusp of GMO biofortified rice to combat anemia
Researchers are developing a new strain of genetically modified rice that contains much higher levels of iron and zinc, says the University of Melbourne. "This has the potential to reduce chronic malnutrition disorders that can be caused by an over-reliance on rice in the human diet," says the university.
Court approves class-action lawsuit against Syngenta GMO corn
A U.S. district judge has decided a proposed class-action lawsuit against Syngenta will include half a million U.S. corn growers, but excluding those who planted two GMO strains from the Swiss seed company, says AgWeb. The lawsuit stems from China's rejection in 2013 of cargoes containing Syngenta's Viptera strain and the subsequent decline of corn prices.
USDA clears way for two GE potatoes
USDA's biotechnology regulators say that two genetically engineered potato varieties from J.R. Simplot, developer of the first GE potato to resist bruising, can be grown safely and do not need federal regulation.
Herbicide use rose with GE crops, but corn insecticides fell, study says
With the widespread adoption of genetically engineered crops — accounting for 94 percent of all soybeans and 93 percent of all corn in the U.S. in 2015 — the use of the herbicides rose, although insecticide use in corn declined, according to a new study published in the journal Science.
USDA set to approve another non-browning GE apple
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) says a new "non-browning" strain of Fuji apple poses no "risk to human health or the environment," AgriPulse reports. It will be the third in Okanagan Specialty Fruits' "Arctic Apple" line to gain USDA approval. The first two were Granny Smith and Golden Delicious varieties.
Why the GMO-labeling movement fell short
In the past year, major food companies have trumpeted the changes they are making in how they produce food, rolling out long-term plans to remove antibiotics from livestock production, reformulating favorites like mac and cheese to get rid of artificial ingredients, and in some cases, aiming to improve the lives of animals destined to be eaten. Yet one major campaign has stood out in its inability to achieve what activists hoped — GMO labeling.
China launches five-year plan to grow GMO soy for commercial use
In an effort to raise the efficiency of its agriculture sector, China announced this week that it will for the first time allow commercial production of GMO soy, reports Reuters. Until now, China has not allowed the production of a GMO food crop out of concern that consumers would react negatively over perceived health risks.
USDA chased rogue GMO wheat for weeks before announcing incident
The tip that led to discovery of rogue GMO wheat in the Pacific Northwest reached the USDA on June 14, more than six weeks before the incident was made public. Officials spent the time in verifying it was a genetically-engineered variety from Monsanto and to begin testing all the wheat grown on the farm in Washington State where 22 stalks of wheat survived a dose of herbicide that should have killed them.
Customers are choosing ‘non-GMO’ over ‘organic,’ but do they know the difference?
The organic food industry is feeling threatened by a new label on the shelf: “Non-GMO Project Verified.” Organic farmers and manufacturers told NPR that they’re afraid customers don’t realize that non-GMO foods can still be grown with conventional methods, including chemical sprays and synthetic fertilizers.