SEP 22, 2009 - Roadblocks on the path to GM superfoods - Checkbiotech.org
GM foods engineered to contain high levels of nutrients could be a neat solution to micronutrient deficiencies in poor countries, but there are many scientific, social and political hurdles. MORE

SEP 22, 2009 - Judge overturns approval of Roundup Ready beets - San Francisco Chronicle
A federal judge overturned government approval of a variety of sugar beet genetically engineered to resist a popular weed killer produced by agricultural giant Monsanto, according to a ruling released Tuesday. MORE

SEP 20, 2009 - US grain exports to EU shown the red card over genetic alteration worry - Economic Times
US soybean and soymeal shipments to the European Union will remain on hold for at least a month as EU authorities decide whether to relax a zero tolerance policy on unapproved genetically altered grain, analysts said. MORE

SEP 9, 2009 - Big Food Vs. Big Insurance - New York Times
To listen to President Obama’s speech on Wednesday night, or to just about anyone else in the health care debate, you would think that the biggest problem with health care in America is the system itself — perverse incentives, inefficiencies, unnecessary tests and procedures, lack of competition, and greed.

No one disputes that the $2.3 trillion we devote to the health care industry is often spent unwisely, but the fact that the United States spends twice as much per person as most European countries on health care can be substantially explained, as a study released last month says, by our being fatter. Even the most efficient health care system that the administration could hope to devise would still confront a rising tide of chronic disease linked to diet.

That’s why our success in bringing health care costs under control ultimately depends on whether Washington can summon the political will to take on and reform a second, even more powerful industry: the food industry. MORE

SEP 8, 2009 - Growing number of genetically modified crops worldwide could disrupt international trade - Checkbiotech.org
The number of commercialised genetically modified (GM) crops in the world is foreseen to multiply by four from about 30 today to over 120 in 2015. This is the forecast presented in the report "The global pipeline of new GM crops: implications of asynchronous approval for international trade", recently published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). It compiles a list of new GM crops to be commercialised and analyses their possible impact on international trade. Their increasing number may cause trade disruptions due to their asynchronous approval. MORE

SEP 4, 2009 - Bayer CropScience and Precision BioSciences Inc. collaborate to create site-specific genome modifications in plants - Bayer CropScience Press Release
Bayer CropScience and Precision BioSciences Inc., a biotechnology company headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, announced today that they have entered into a collaborative agreement to create site-specific genome modifications in plants. The agreement provides Bayer CropScience with non-exclusive access to aspects of Precision BioSciences’ proprietary Directed Nuclease Editor™ (DNE) technology, which can be used to develop novel traits in plants. MORE

AUG 31, 2009 - The problem with 'eat local' - Forbes
With the world population headed toward 9 billion by 2050, Texas author James McWilliams wants more genetically modified organisms and more subsidies to feed people, not cattle. His new book, Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly, is sure to irritate organic food fundamentalists. He recently talked to Forbes. MORE

AUG 13, 2009 - Do seed companies control GM crop research? - Scientific American
Advances in agricultural technology—including, but not limited to, the genetic modification of food crops—have made fields more productive than ever. Farmers grow more crops and feed more people using less land. They are able to use fewer pesticides and to reduce the amount of tilling that leads to erosion. MORE

AUG 12, 2009 - Food, Inc. misses the mark: Food is a business - Barfblog
Two weeks ago I went to see Food, Inc. with a couple of food safety colleagues. Reference to the documentary pops up daily on blogs and listservs -- most remark on how it will change buying patterns, it's the modern-day version of The Jungle, and is a wake-up call to consumers about food. MORE

AUG 11, 2009 - Universal DNA barcode proposed for plants - Checkbiotech.org
An international team of scientists has agreed on a DNA 'barcode' for the identification of plant species, paving the way for the tracking and safeguarding of biodiversity in the developing world. MORE

AUG 5, 2009 - Agricultural Biotechnology: Scourge or Savior? - Huffington Post
With the battles over genetically engineered (GE) crops quieting down, at least temporarily, it's a good time to take stock of a technology that has been portrayed as either the scourge or savior of the world's food supply. MORE

AUG 3, 2009 - Wheat suffers on GM canola advent in Canada - Commodity Online
Canada Grains Council on Sunday said nearly six million hectares of farm land is now used for Genetically Modified canola. According to CCC there has been a sharp fall in the amount of land used to grow wheat since GM canola crops were introduced in 1995. MORE

AUG 1, 2009 - National Post editorial board: More natural doesn't mean more healthy - National Post (Canada)
A new study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine brings us the “news” that organically grown food bears no relevant nutritional differences from conventionally grown food. The real news is that anyone might have ever thought otherwise. MORE

JUL 31, 2009 - Sustainably Engineered Organic - Wired Magazine
Organic farming teacher Raoul began the joint presentation with a checklist for truly sustainable agriculture in a global context. hen I wrote a column recently about my questions about organic produce, I expected that I'd get a lot of mail. Especially after I started with the statement: "I don't believe in organics." MORE

JUL 29, 2009 - 'Organic' debate goes on, naturally - Los Angeles Times
When I wrote a column recently about my questions about organic produce, I expected that I'd get a lot of mail. Especially after I started with the statement: "I don't believe in organics." Organics is an article of faith for a lot of people and what I had to say was pretty far from the accepted dogma. Still, it was something I thought really needed to be said and if, after more than 20 years of covering farming and food issues for The Times, I wouldn't say it, who would? MORE

JUL 29, 2009 - Organic food is no healthier, study finds - Checkbiotech.org
Organic food has no nutritional or health benefits over ordinary food, according to a major study published Wednesday. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said consumers were paying higher prices for organic food because of its perceived health benefits, creating a global organic market worth an estimated $48 billion in 2007. MORE

JUL 7, 2009 - European Union JRC report: The global pipeline of new GM crops: implications of asynchronous approval for international trade - Checkbiotech.org
The commercialisation of GM crops is a regulated activity and different countries have different authorisation procedures, i.e. new GM crops do not get simultaneously approved worldwide. MORE

JUL 7, 2009 - Defining ‘Sustainable Agriculture’ - New York Times
Conventional farmers, organic farmers, giant agribusiness companies, environmentalists — all have varying views on what “sustainable agriculture” really means. MORE

JUL 2, 2009 - Uganda: Food court - Genetically modified versus organic foods - AllAfrica.com
Over 700 of Africa's best agricultural research scientists crammed the arrival and departure lounges at Entebbe International Airport last week. One group, under the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Producers, promoting organic farming, rushed to Sheraton Hotel in Kampala and started "fast-tracking" how the continent can tap into the vast potential from organic farming. MORE

JUL 1, 2009 - Anti-biotech groups obstruct forest biotechnology - Physorg.com
The potential of forest biotechnology to help address significant social and environmental issues is being "strangled at birth" by the rigid opposition of some groups and regulations that effectively preclude even the testing of genetically modified trees, scientists argue in a new report. MORE

JUL 1, 2009 - 'Organic' label doesn't guarantee quality or taste - Los Angeles Times
I don't believe in organic. There, I've said it and I feel better. It's something that's been on my mind for years. Now, don't get me wrong: I've got nothing against organic farmers. In fact, some of my favorite farmers are organic. I really admire them: Growing delicious food and doing it according to organic standards is adding a degree of difficulty that I wouldn't wish on anyone. MORE

JUN 26, 2009 - Successful initial safety tests for genetically-modified rice that fights allergy - American Chemical Society
In a first-of-its-kind advance toward the next generation of genetically modified foods -- intended to improve consumers’ health -- researchers in Japan are reporting that a new transgenic rice designed to fight a common pollen allergy appears safe in animal studies. Their report is in the current issue of ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. MORE

JUN 25, 2009 - Indian scientists dish up GM fish - Livemint.com
Even as genetically modified brinjal—the first transgenic food crop to be available in India—has reached the final stage of field trials, scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), a prominent Hyderabad-based research institution, have taken the first steps to steer genetically modified (GM) fish—now confined to their labs—to Indian plates. MORE

JUN 24, 2009 - EU ministers leave open possibility of clone food - AFP
EU farm ministers revived the row over 'Frankenfoods' Monday by retaining the possibility of cloned animal products being sold in Europe, despite scientific uncertainty and Green opposition. MORE

JUN 22, 2009 - EU ministers approve sale of food from cloned animals' offspring - Deutsche Welle
Milk and meat from the progeny of cloned animals could soon be hitting the shelves of European supermarkets. Some groups have been critical of such products, which are already on sale in the United States. MORE

JUN 19, 2009 - Q&A: Food Inc. Director Robert Kenner on Monsanto, Obama, and Breakfast - Vanity Fair
If we are what we eat, Robert Kenner’s new documentary Food Inc. tells us we should be scared. Teaming up with Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation and sometime Vanity Fair contributor, and Michael Pollan, who wrote The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Robert Kenner’s Food Inc. travels from farm to fork trying to answer the simple question: “Where does our food come from?” After screening at the Toronto Film Festival this September and opening in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco this past week, Food Inc. opens today in 45 theaters nationwide. Before the nationwide premiere, Kenner spoke with VF Daily about the movie’s success, the Obama administration’s food policy, and what he had for breakfast. MORE

JUN 15, 2009 - "Super cassava" to enter field trials in Nigeria - Monitor Online
An ambitious attempt to bioengineer cassava into a “complete meal” took a step forward with the approval of field trials for the plant by Nigeria’s National Biosafety Committee. The genetically modified cassava contains 30 times as much beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, as its normal counterpart. MORE

JUN 12, 2009 - Ethiopian scientist named 2009 World Food Prize Laureate - World Food Prize
Dr. Gebisa Ejeta of Ethiopia has been named winner of the $250,000 World Food Prize for his monumental contributions in the production of sorghum, one of the world’s five principal cereal grains, which have dramatically enhanced the food supply of hundreds of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. MORE

JUN 12, 2009 - AAEM calls for moratorium on genetically modified foods - American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) today released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that "GM foods pose a serious health risk" and calling for a moratorium on GM foods. Citing several animal studies, the AAEM concludes "there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects" and that "GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health." MORE

JUN 4, 2009 - Update on county GMO situation - Lake County Record-Bee
The Lake County Genetically Modified Organisms advisory committee met Monday, May 18 in the supervisors' chambers with input from citizens and Anita Grant, Lake County Counsel. MORE

JUN 3, 2009 - Segregation needed for gene crops in Europe: scientists - AFP
Genetically-engineered crops and conventional crops would have to be grown in segregated areas to meet environmental concerns about transgenic farming in Europe, agricultural scientists said on Tuesday. MORE

JUN 3, 2009 - Apple trees destroyed - GMO Safety
On 1 June 2009, 270 apple trees on a trial site owned by the Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural and Fruit Crops of the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) in Dresden-Pillnitz were destroyed by unknown intruders. Most of the trees were genetically modified plants being grown in tubs in a special safety tent under field-like conditions. It is the first time that protesters have destroyed plants that were not being grown in the field. MORE

JUN 3, 2009 - Eat, Drink, Think, Change - New York Times
Into this world comes “Food, Inc.,” a documentary on the state of the nation’s food system that opens in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco on Friday.. MORE

MAY 29, 2009 - Poland wins battle with EC to limit GMOs - Warsaw Business Journal
In one of the most difficult negotiated issues with the European Commission, government representatives managed to convince officials in Brussels to limit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO). MORE

MAY 28, 2009 - County may let modified beets grow on its land - Checkbiotech.org
Boulder County may allow six farmers to grow genetically modified sugar beets on 960 acres of leased open space, a move that could cause plenty of environmental problems, including the rise of "super weeds," the head of an organic farming group said. MORE

MAY 22, 2009 - Food Web, Meet Interweb: The Networked Future of Farms - Wired
Silicon Valley thinks the internet can transform anything from car sales to anonymous sex, but the way Americans grow and buy food is rooted in ancient, offline systems. Now, a Bay Area startup has launched a service to make it easier and cheaper for restaurants to buy food from small, local farms. With a suite of mobile apps for use in restaurants and on farms, FarmsReach wants to create an online food marketplace that would directly connect farms with restaurants. MORE

MAY 15, 2009 - Agriculture in Ghana: Few signs of concern as GM crops advance - Checkbiotech.org
Ghanaians are daily consuming genetically modified (GM) products imported by various traders without much care. However, as the government prepares to allow the planting of GM crops locally in a bid to boost food production, one non-governmental organisation, Friends of the Earth (FoE) Ghana is sounding the alarm. MORE

MAY 13, 2009 - Nobel Laureate Nüsslein-Volhard: "The ban on cultivating Bt maize sends an alarming signal" - GMO Safety
In a joint memorandum, the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) and German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, DLG) are demanding reliable conditions for research and development in the area of genetically modified plants. At a press conference in Berlin the presidents of the two organisations complained of a hostile climate to plant biotechnology and argued emphatically in favour of freedom of research and field trials. MORE

MAY 13, 2009 - Golden rice an effective source of vitamin A - Baylor College of Medicine Press Release
The beta-carotene in so-called "Golden Rice" converts to vitamin A in humans, according to researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) and Tufts University in an article that appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. MORE

MAY 7, 2009 - Seed Biotechnology Symposium to mark 10th anniversary - UC Davis Press Release
The Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California, Davis, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a May 11-12 symposium titled “Seed Biotechnologies: Filling the Gap between the Public and Private Sector.” MORE

MAY 4, 2009 - 81 unusual projects get $100K in Gates grants - Business Week
Can tomatoes be taught to make antiviral drugs for people who eat them? Would zapping your skin with a laser make your vaccination work better? Could malaria-carrying mosquitoes be given a teensy head cold that would prevent them from sniffing out a human snack bar? These are among 81 projects awarded $100,000 grants Monday by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a bid to support innovative, unconventional global health research. MORE

MAY 1, 2009 - German spud go-ahead inflames GM row - Checkbiotech.org
Germany's agriculture minister Ilse Aigner has approved cultivation of BASF's genetically-modified potato Amflora just two weeks after banning a strain of genetically modified maize. MORE

APR 28, 2009 - Engineered corn's vitamin boost - BBC News
A genetically modified (GM) corn fortified with three vitamins has been created by European researchers. The modifications make the growing corn, or maize, produce large amounts of beta carotene and precursors of vitamin C and folic acid. MORE

APR 17 2009 - This petunia carries this artist's DNA - Star-Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
The ever-accelerating March of Science has brought us cloned sheep, cows and most recently a camel. Are we ready now for a "plantimal"? That is, a creature combining genetic material from a plant and an animal? Specifically a petunia infused with human DNA? MORE

APR 15, 2009 - Germany bars genetically modified corn - Checkbiotech.org
Germany announced plans on Tuesday to ban the only genetically modified strain of corn grown in the European Union, dealing a new blow to the American manufacturer, Monsanto, and raising the specter of trade tensions with the United States. MORE

APR 8, 2009 - Chocolate eggs under growing threat from witches' broom - New Scientist
It's chocolate egg season again, and sales of the pagan and Christian symbols of rebirth are as strong as ever. But the hunt for Easter eggs may truly be on next year, because chocolate trees are in increasing trouble. MORE

APR 7, 2009 - Swenson committed to building bright future for wheat growers - Agri News
Biotechnology is critical for wheat's future, says Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers president Scott Swenson. He's not the only one calling for biotech wheat seed development. Wheat grower groups from around the world have signed a letter calling for biotech wheat development. MORE

MAR 27, 2009 - Norman Borlaug, Happy 95th Birthday! - Reason Magazine
One of the true giants of our time, plant breeder and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Norman Borlaug turns 95 today. Borlaug is the person who has saved more human lives than anyone in history. How? He was the father of the "Green Revolution" that more than doubled crop productivity in the 1960s and 1970s thus averting the massive global famines predicted by many doomsayers.norman borlaug I had the honor of interviewing Borlaug nine years ago for Reason. MORE

MAR 25, 2009 - Agricultural technology could feed rising population, but who will own crops? - Checkbiotech.org
The genetic revolution has come to food, as debates over how to deal with future pressures of population and climate change look to agricultural technology in hope of answers. But questions still remain over who owns the technology, who will do the research, and what forms of - and even whether - biotechnology is appropriate to human needs and the needs of smallholding farmers. MORE

MAR 20, 2009 - Biotech under Barack - Nature Biotechnology
The Obama administration looks to be a welcome shot in the arm for the scientific endeavor, but the current economic crisis is likely to keep several issues of key interest to biotech firmly on the back burner. MORE

MAR 19, 2009 - Mexico-ban lifted on GM maize - Checkbiotech.org
Mexico has lifted the ban on experimental cultivation of transgenic maize imposed in 1999 in this country where the crop was first domesticated and shaped human culture. Biotech giants have put forward two dozen projects for approval and have announced investments of 382 million dollars up to 2012. MORE

MAR 13, 2009 - Survey says growers do like biotech - Capital Press (subscription needed)
Wheat producers across the U.S. favor pursuit of genetically modified wheat, according to a survey. The National Association of Wheat Growers mailed surveys in January and February to about 21,000 producers with more than 500 acres of wheat and 1,000 acres in total production. MORE

MAR 13, 2009 - Flood-resistant rice aids farmers in South Asia - Voice of America News
Most rice grows in wet environments, but too much water can be disastrous for rice crops. Plant biologist Pamela Ronald helped create a type of flood-resistant rice that is being introduced to India and Bangladesh. In Davis, California, we spoke with Ronald about her new rice and its promise for small farmers in South Asia. MORE

MAR 12, 2009 - Collectively facing Ug99, a new stem rust to which most of the wheat and barley grown in the world has no resistance - Checkbiotech.org
When the threat to a food staple like wheat is worldwide, the best way to counter it is to enlist the world’s experts in a research coalition. That’s just what has been done to answer the very real threat of Ug99, a new stem rust to which most of the wheat and barley grown in the United States and the rest of the world has no resistance. MORE

MAR 5, 2009 - Grad student campaigns for White House farmer - Capital Press (subscription needed)
Having finished strongly in a national contest to pick a White House farmer, Davis graduate student Margaret Lloyd has become a national campaigner for local food. The effort to convince the President to install a garden on the White House Lawn and appoint an overseeing farmer has become a high-profile symbol of the local-food movement. MORE

MAR 3, 2009 - Europe ban on modified maize upheld - Financial Times (UK)
Efforts by Monsanto to introduce genetically modified maize into the European Union hit a fresh roadblock on Monday when member states upheld bans imposed by Austria and Hungary. MORE

MAR 2, 2009 - Ghana to undertake field trials on GM crops - Checkbiotech.org
Ghana will soon begin field trials with Genetically Modified crops, which, when successful, will help enhance agricultural modernization and productivity. This follows the coming into force of a legislative instrument in May 2008 allowing research into GM crops pending the passage of the Biosafety Bill. MORE

FEB 25, 2009 - Time for more R&D to keep food on the table - Checkbiotech.org
Agriculture research and development needs to be increased and better targeted if the world is to feed itself in the 21st century, according to a visiting expert. MORE

FEB 20, 2009 - Crop scientists say biotechnology seed companies are thwarting research - Checkbiotech.org
Biotechnology companies are keeping university scientists from fully researching the effectiveness and environmental impact of the industry’s genetically modified crops, according to an unusual complaint issued by a group of those scientists. MORE

FEB 18, 2009 - Kenya - Biosafety Act now paves the way for GMOs - Business Daily (Nairobi)
President Kibaki has finally assented to the Biosafety Act 2008, paving the way for the commercialization of modern biotechnology products or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Kenya. MORE

FEB 16, 2009 - Biotech rice may be in the market by 2010 - Business Mirror
Biotech rice—the insect resistant variety and Golden Rice—will lead the new genetically modified crops for commercial use in the second wave (2006 to 2015) of market availability, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA). MORE

FEB 13, 2009 - Poland grows most GMO foods in EU - Checkbiotech.org
Poland is amongst the most prolific growers of genetically modified foods in the European Union, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. MORE

FEB 12, 2009 - Australia may sell transgenic canola to Japan - Weekly Times (Australia)s
Marketers of genetically modified canola grown in Western Australia could sell the oilseed to Japan if it were allowed to be grown commercially, a key marketer said. MORE

FEB 6, 2009 - Gates unleashes skeeters at technology conference - Associated Press
"There's no reason only poor people should have the experience," the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft said at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference Wednesday in Long Beach. Audience members including technology leaders laughed nervously as the insects swarmed across the auditorium. Gates assured them that the bugs were not carrying malaria. MORE

FEB 6, 2009 - FDA Approves Orphan Drug ATryn to Treat Rare Clotting Disorder - FDA press release
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued its first approval for a biological product produced by genetically engineered (GE) animals. The approval is for ATryn, an anticoagulant used for the prevention of blood clots in patients with a rare disease known as hereditary antithrombin (AT) deficiency. These patients are at high risk of blood clots during medical interventions, such as surgery, and before, during and after childbirth. MORE

JAN 30, 2009 - Genome sequence shows sorghum's immense potential - University of Georgia press release
Southerners may best know sorghum as sweet, biscuit-topping syrup. But the small grain's uses range from a dependable, drought-tolerant food crop to biofuel source, says a University of Georgia researcher who led a team that recently sequenced the plant's genome. MORE

JAN 29, 2009 - More nations warm to bioengineered crops - Capital Press (subscription needed)
Zeng Yawen's outdoor laboratory in the terraced hills of southern China is a trove of genetic potential - rice that thrives in unusually cool temperatures, high altitudes or in dry soil; rice rich in calcium, vitamins or iron. "See these plants? They can tolerate the cold," Zeng said as he walked through a checkerboard of test fields sown with different rice varieties on the outskirts of Kunming, capital of southwestern China's Yunnan province. MORE

JAN 27, 2009 - Goats supply controversial new drug through genetic engineering - Natural News
A new drug may soon be introduced to the market whose origins are a subject of suspicion and controversy. The drug is no ordinary medication manufactured in a laboratory. It was made in goats which have been genetically engineered to produce a large amount of the protein antithrombin in their milk. This protein acts as a blood thinner in humans. MORE

JAN 26, 2009 - U.S.-African Partnership Developing Drought-Tolerant Maize - America.gov
Biotechnology is a key component of a public-private partnership that could save millions of lives by developing drought-tolerant maize for small-scale farming operations in sub-Saharan Africa. MORE

JAN 23, 2009 - Drugs from genetically engineered animals poised to debut in US - Medill Reports Chicago
Medication from genetically engineered animals could appear as early as next month if, as anticipated, the Food and Drug Administration approves ATryn, a blood thinner made from the milk of genetically engineered goats. MORE

JAN 22, 2009 - Poll hopes to find GM wheat support - Checkbiotech.org
Wheat growers south of the border are getting a chance to express their opinion on genetically modified wheat. MORE

JAN 20, 2009 - EU fails to approve GM rapeseed, carnation imports - Reuters
EU ministers failed to reach a majority on Monday to approve applications for importing a genetically modified rapeseed and carnation flower, paving the way for a default approval by the EU executive, officials said. MORE

JAN 16, 2009 - Hong Kong scientists produce chicken feed with bird flu vaccine - Checkbiotech.org
Hong Kong scientists on Friday claimed to have created a genetically modified rice that provides protection for chickens from the bird flu virus. The rice contains genetic material from the traditional Chinese medicine plant called yuzhu which has been found to inhibit the growth of viruses such as the deadly H5N1. MORE

JAN 12, 2009 - USDA unable to weed out unapproved modified foods - Reuters
The U.S. food supply is at risk of being invaded by unapproved imports of genetically modified crops and livestock, a USDA internal audit report released Wednesday said. MORE

JAN 9, 2009 - As acres dwindle, wheat farmers consider options in biotechnology - Checkbiotech.org
As acres planted in wheat continue to dwindle against more profitable crops in Oklahoma and across the country, farmers need to decide whether they’re ready to fight back with biotechnology, the National Association of Wheat Growers is asking. MORE

DEC 18, 2008 - Co-existence of GM and non-GM crops in Australia - Checkbiotech.org
Introduction of genetically modified (GM) canola varieties into the Australian supply chain will not create significantly more work for industry, but may require expansion of existing sampling and testing regimes. MORE

DEC 18, 2008 - GM crops reach 9 percent of global primary crop production - Checkbiotech.org
New estimates by Worldwatch Institute in the US have revealed that genetically modified (GM) crops have reached 9 percent of global primary crop production in 2007, bringing the total GM land area up to 114.3 million hectares. MORE

DEC 12, 2008 - Italy approves GM field trials for some fruit and vegetables - Checkbiotech.org
Italy's has approved the resumption of biotech field trials after a hiatus of 10 years. Protocols for nine crops were approved but leave implementing regulations up to the regions—many of which have declared themselves to be GMO free. MORE

DEC 11, 2008 - Arcadia Biosciences and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation enter into agreement for development of improved African rice - Checkbiotech.org
Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on products that benefit the environment and human health, and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), a not-for-profit organization focused on the access and delivery of new agricultural technologies for African smallholder farmers, today announced an agreement in which Arcadia will perform technology development activities for Nitrogen Use Efficient and Salt-Tolerant African rice. MORE

DEC 5, 2008 - UN says plant-breeding technique using radiation can save millions from hunger - Checkbiotech.org
The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for increased investments in a nearly century-old technique using radiation to produce high-yielding plants to help millions of people worldwide in the throes of hunger. MORE

DEC 5, 2008 - SemBioSys begins phase I/II trial of insulin produced in plant seeds - Checkbiotech.org
SemBioSys Genetics Inc. (TSX:SBS), a biotechnology company developing protein pharmaceuticals in crop plants, today announced that it has initiated a phase I/II clinical trial of its plant-produced insulin with the first injection of its drug in humans. The trial, taking place in the United Kingdom (UK), will include up to 30 healthy volunteers in a three-arm study (SBS-1000 insulin and two commercial standards) to demonstrate the bioequivalence of safflower-produced insulin to comparator insulin products. Full results are expected to be available during the first half of 2009. MORE

DEC 4, 2008 - Fight over adding hormones, labeling milk rages on - Checkbiotech.org
Anti-biotech forces turned out in Kansas on Tuesday to argue against a state plan that would limit how dairy products free from artificial hormones can be labeled. MORE

NOV 20, 2008 - Organic and GM—Why Not? Review of "Tomorrow's Table" - Science
Review of book, "Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food" by Pamela C. Ronald and Raoul W. Adamchak. MORE

NOV 20, 2008 - Another thing candidates can run on: Their genetic profile - AFP
In this year's presidential race, John McCain's campaign made sure voters heard about his mother, still sharp and energetic at 95, while Barack Obama's campaign staff kept relatively quiet about his grandfather's death from prostate cancer, a history that suggests an above-average risk of the disease. Family history is one thing, but what if voters had access to detailed genetic information about the candidates? Could candidates be doomed politically if the electorate learned they carried genes that raised their risk of lethal diseases or psychiatric conditions? That idea might not be so far-fetched, scientists suggest today in the New England Journal of Medicine. MORE

NOV 13, 2008 - Vietnam to grow genetically modified crops: reports - AFP
Vietnam plans to test genetically modified (GM) agricultural crops from now until 2010 and then grow them on a large scale, media reports in the communist country said on Thursday. MORE

NOV 12, 2008 - UC Davis researchers study the prevention of gene flow in alfalfa - The California Aggie
Consisting of 22 million acres, alfalfa is the fourth largest crop produced in the United States. Like most crops, there is an ongoing battle between genetically engineered producers and organic producers of alfalfa. However, a recent study conducted by UC Davis plant scientists suggests that gene flow between GE alfalfa and organic alfalfa can be minimized. MORE

NOV 12, 2008 - Modified genes spread to local maize - Nature News
Transgenes from genetically modified (GM) maize (corn) crops have been found in traditional 'landrace' maize in the Mexican heartland, a study says. The work largely confirms a similar, controversial result published in Nature in 20011 and may reignite the debate in Mexico over GM crops. MORE

NOV 10, 2008 - IRRI chief volunteers to be human guinea pig for GM rice - Checkbiotech.org
International Rice Research Institute chief Dr. Robert Zeigler has said he will be the first to eat genetically modified (GM) “golden” rice when the IRRI introduces it in the Philippines in 2012 to show Filipinos it is both safe for human consumption and nutritious. MORE

NOV 3, 2008 - 3-in-1 rice helps prevent Vitamin A deficiency - The Manila Times
Here comes Golden Rice, slated for field-testing this year and hopefully on your table soon after. Golden Rice, one of the parents of the 3-in-1 rice, is genetically modified since it has 23 times more carotenoid (pro-Vitamin A). Two genes from other organisms were inserted to provide beta-carotene production, giving the rice grain its yellow color—and name. MORE

NOV 1, 2008 - Budgets Squeezed, Some Families Bypass Organics - New York Times (subscription required)
Once upon a time, sales of organic and natural products were growing in double digits most years. Enthusiastic grocers and venture capitalists prowled the halls of trade shows looking for the next big thing. Grass-fed beef? Organic baby food? Gluten-free energy bars? But now, shaky consumer spending is dampening the mood. It turns out that when times are tough, consumers may be less interested in what type of feed a cow ate before it got chopped up for dinner, or whether carrots were grown without chemical fertilizers — particularly if those products cost twice as much as the conventional stuff. MORE

OCT 23, 2008 - Lake County ban on GMOs gets OK - Capital Press (subscription required)
Lake County is set to join some of its neighbors in banning the cultivation of genetically modified crops. County supervisors preliminarily approved the ban Tuesday, Oct. 21, after more than three hours of debate. Supporters said the ban will protect the county's organic growers from potential contamination from genetically modified crops and it will help create a lucrative niche for naturally grown products. MORE

OCT 23, 2008 - Extension brings research home - Capital Press (subscription required)
The land-grant universities of the West are home to extension programs designed to educate and assist producers and county residents with operational decision making, school nutrition programs and practical, applicable research. MORE

OCT 9, 2008 - Council bans GMO taro, coffee - West Hawaii Today
The genetic modification of taro and coffee on the Big Island is now a banned practice. The Hawaii County Council voted 9-0 Wednesday in favor of a bill from North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago on its second reading to ban genetically modified taro and coffee. MORE

OCT 23, 2008 - Golden rice, red tape - Checkbiotech.org
Biotechnology applied to crafting nutritional improvements in rice is on the verge of offering the kinds of public health benefits to Asia we haven't seen since the 20th-century's green revolution improved the nutrition and longevity of billions of people. MORE

OCT 22, 2008 - New DNA tool probes rice genome - study - Checkbiotech.org
A new tool for investigating the rice genome has been developed by researchers at UC Davis led by Pamela Ronald, professor of plant pathology. MORE

OCT 17, 2008 - Consumers buy GM-labelled foods when offered for sale - study - Checkbiotech.org
There are at least 69 grocery products on sale in Europe labelled as containing genetically modified ingredients. That is one of the conclusions of an EU-funded study(1) across ten European markets published this week. MORE

OCT 17, 2008 - Over 40 NGO’s stage protests against GMOs in Nairobi - Checkbiotech.org
Over 40 Non Governmental Organizations, community groups and consumer associations under the auspices of the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition, on Thursday staged peaceful protests in Nairobi condemning the government move to introduce Genetically Modified Organism (GMO’s) in the country. MORE

OCT 9, 2008 - UC-Davis researcher discovers rice gene that fights leaf blight - Capital Press (subscription required)
A researcher at the University of California-Davis, has identified a protein in rice that could help control the spread of leaf blight across Asia. MORE

OCT 3, 2008 - Viral bacteria engineered to spot E. coli - Checkbiotech.org
Intelliphage, West Lafayette, Ind., has developed what could be a breakthrough in the ongoing food safety campaign. MORE

OCT 2, 2008 - Vietnam: Certain crops require genetic modification - Checkbiotech.org
Maize, soybean, cassava, and potato are crops that Vietnam needs to genetically modify to improve productivity as soon as possible, said Dr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Biotechnology Centre on Sept. 29. MORE

SEP 25, 2008 - Draft law aimed at mandatory GM food labels hailed - Checkbiotech.org
A new draft law stipulating mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods has been welcomed by a government watchdog body as an important contribution towards improving quality of life. MORE

SEP 25, 2008 - Secret ingredients behind germinated rice - Checkbiotech.org
A team of researchers has identified the active compounds that contribute to the health benefits of pre-germinated brown rice; the healthy components are a related set of sterol-like molecules known as acylated steryl-beta-glucosides (ASGs). MORE

SEP 12, 2008 - Slow Food must shed elitist label - Capital Press (subscription required)
Here's a message that might make the nation's foodies splurt their biodynamic cabernet sauvignon all over their microgreen salads with goat cheese croutons. If Slow Food is to accomplish its ambitious goal - to persuade Americans to foresake the drive-thru in favor of local, organic food - it needs to focus less on people who nosh fine prosciutto and more on folks for whom a trip to McDonald's is a splurge. MORE

SEP 12, 2008 - South Africa okays sorghum trials to improve nutrition in Africa: official - Checkbiotech.org
The South African government Thursday approved trials on genetically-modified sorghum in a bid to improve nutrition in Africa, an official statement said. MORE

SEP 8, 2008 - Field of participants narrowed in GMO suit - Capital Press (subscription required)
A federal judge has partially barred the Monsanto Co. from participating in a lawsuit over glyphosate-resistant "Roundup Ready" sugar beet seeds. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White ruled Aug. 15 that Monsanto, several sugar beet companies and other interested parties could not intervene in the initial "merits" phase of the lawsuit, which will examine whether the USDA breached federal law by deregulating Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beets. MORE

AUG 26, 2008 - A new weapon to fight cancer - tobacco plants - Checkbiotech.org
But scientists in Arizona and elsewhere believe tobacco plants may hold the key to developing a personalized cancer vaccine as well as treatments for other diseases. MORE

AUG 21, 2008 - Promising results from field studies with drought resistant wheat in Australia - Checkbiotech.org
Professor Dr. German Spangenberg was raised in Uruguay. He studied in Germany and performed research in Switzerland. Today he is Research Director of Primary Industries Research of the state of Victoria, in Australia. MORE

AUG 17, 2008 - Prince Charles wrong on GM, says minister - Telegraph
A senior minister has accused Prince Charles of "ignoring" the needs of starving people in the developing world by attacking genetically modified crops. MORE

AUG 13, 2008 - UK: Missing the signs of genetic irrelevance - BBC News
Prince Charles usually speaks from the heart; and his latest outpouring on genetically modified crops is expressed in terms that are forthright even for him. MORE

JULY 29, 2008 - Security becomes main cost in UK GM crop trials - Environmental News Network
Security has become by far the largest cost for field trials of genetically modified crops in Britain as researchers seek to protect sites against vandalism, a British scientist said on Monday.first locally developed genetically modified crop has finished its field trials and is now before an interdepartmental committee that will decide whether it can go on South African markets. MORE

JULY 25, 2008 - SA's GM spud awaits commercial approval - Cape Times
Africa's first locally developed genetically modified crop has finished its field trials and is now before an interdepartmental committee that will decide whether it can go on South African markets. MORE

JULY 25, 2008 - Europe fails to endorse milk and meat from clones - New York Times
The European Food Safety Authority pulled back on Thursday from giving milk and meat from cloned animals a clean bill of health, making it less likely that such products could reach store shelves in Europe anytime soon. MORE

JULY 21, 2008 - "Pharmed" vaccine passes early test - The Scientist
A team of researchers has completed human tests of the first plant-produced vaccine for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The successful results of a phase I clinical trial suggest that plants could provide a safe, inexpensive reservoir to "grow" vaccines for the common human cancer, according to a study published tomorrow (July 22) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. frica's first locally developed genetically modified crop has finished its field trials and is now before an interdepartmental committee that will decide whether it can go on South African markets. MORE

JULY 18, 2008 - Ventria gets $4 million grant - The Wichita Eagle
Ventria Bioscience has received nearly $4 million from the Kansas Bioscience Authority to help advance the human health and biomaterials sectors in Kansas. Ventria grows and processes a bioengineered rice that yields a protein that can be refined and used as an additive to oral rehydration solutions to decrease the severity and duration of infant and childhood diarrhea. MORE

JULY 16, 2008 - USDA announces $28.4 million in funding for specialty crop research - Western Farm Press
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that USDA is making available $28.4 million for research and extension projects in fiscal year 2008 to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address needs of specific crops. MORE

JULY 10, 2008 - China to urgently boost GM crop development - AFP
China has said it must urgently step up the development of genetically modified crops as it faces mounting challenges to feed its 1.3 billion people due to shrinking arable land and climate change. MORE

JULY 5, 2008 - Breakthrough: Artificial DNA Could Power Future Computers - Live Science
Chemists claim to have created the world's first DNA molecule made almost entirely of artificial parts. The finding could lead to improvements in gene therapy, futuristic nano-sized computers, and other high-tech advances, the Japanese researchers say. MORE

JULY 4, 2008 - U.S. adoption for GE corn, cotton, soybeans - BIO
American farmers have adopted genetically engineered (GE) crops widely since their introduction in 1996, especially corn, cotton and soybean varieties, according to a new USDA report. MORE

JULY 4, 2008 - Authors: Organic GM crops can feed the world - Capital Press
Pamela Ronald and Raoul Adamchak say they're not proposing a seismic change in mainstream farming practices - just the next step in a long evolution. Ronald and Adamchak are the husband-and-wife authors of the book "Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food," published in April. Ronald is a professor of plant pathology and chair of the Plant Genomics Program at the University of California-Davis; Adamchak manages UC-Davis' organic farm. MORE

JUNE 19, 2008 -Genetically modified mosquitoes may combat malaria - Associated Press
In a cramped, humid laboratory in London, mosquitoes swarming in stacked, net-covered cages are being scrutinized for keys to controlling malaria. Scientists have genetically modified hundreds of them, hoping to stop them from spreading the killer disease. MORE

JUNE 9, 2008 - Forbidden Fruit: Transgenic Papaya in Thailand - Plant Physiology (subscription required)
Dressed in white, hooded "personal protection suits," Greenpeace activists donned goggles, gloves, and respiratory masks—the kind of dress you expect to see in the clean zone of a nanotechnology laboratory, not in a field in bucolic northeast Thailand. Easily bridging a barbed wire fence with a stepladder, they began pulling transgenic papaya (Carica papaya) from the trees, throwing the fruit into biohazard waste bins. The protestors stood for photographs—the press had been alerted—before a large yellow banner printed both in Thai and English that read: "Stop GMO Field Trials." MORE

MAY 22, 2008 - Terminator seed ban under threat - The Guardian
As the world grapples with the impact of global food shortages (Six million Ethiopian children at risk of malnutrition, May 21), the livelihoods of 1.4 billion of the world's poorest farmers who rely on harvesting seeds from one crop for sowing the next season is under threat from biotech companies which are pushing to commercialise "terminator" technology - genetic engineering that results in plants producing sterile seeds. The advent of these so-called suicide seeds represent an insidious attempt to privatise plant life - and force poor families in developing countries to buy new seeds each year from the large companies that control the $19bn global seed market. MORE

MAY 21, 2008 - Agreement lays groundwork for holding producers liable for biotech - Feedstuffs
The Cartagena Protocol on the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be revised by 2010 to include legally binding rules on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity. This is the basic path agreed on by the 147 parties to the international convention at the 4th meeting of the UN Conference on Biosafety (MOP 4) in Bonn, Germany. Northern California biotech company announced Wednesday that it will clone dogs for the five highest bidders in a series of online auctions. Some ethicists condemned the offer, fearing it could lead to human clones. MORE

MAY 21, 2008 - Company offers to clone dogs for 5 highest bidders - San Francisco Chronicle
A Northern California biotech company announced Wednesday that it will clone dogs for the five highest bidders in a series of online auctions. Some ethicists condemned the offer, fearing it could lead to human clones. MORE

MAY 16, 2008 - Difficult compromise: Basic decision on genetic engineering liability - GMO Safety.eu
The Cartagena Protocol on the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be revised by 2010 to include legally binding rules on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity. This is the basic path agreed on today by the 147 parties to the international convention at the 4th meeting of the UN Conference on Biosafety (MOP 4) in Bonn. However, many questions concerning the details remain unanswered.he debate on next-generation agrofuels could be transformed by the new field of synthetic biology. Also known as synbio, synthetic biology goes beyond genetic engineering to create life from scratch by combining nanoscale biology, computing, and engineering. "Using a laptop computer, published gene sequence information, and mail-order synthetic DNA, just about anyone has the potential to construct genes or entire genomes from scratch," informed the ETC Group in a recent report. "At the core of synthetic biology is the belief that all the parts of life can be made synthetically, engineered, and assembled to produce working organisms." MORE

MAY 2, 2008 - Synthetic biology's role in agrofuels - Americas Program
The debate on next-generation agrofuels could be transformed by the new field of synthetic biology. Also known as synbio, synthetic biology goes beyond genetic engineering to create life from scratch by combining nanoscale biology, computing, and engineering. "Using a laptop computer, published gene sequence information, and mail-order synthetic DNA, just about anyone has the potential to construct genes or entire genomes from scratch," informed the ETC Group in a recent report. "At the core of synthetic biology is the belief that all the parts of life can be made synthetically, engineered, and assembled to produce working organisms."t Stephen Fleishman's busy Bethesda shop, the era of the 95-cent bagel is coming to an end. MORE

MAY 1, 2008 - Genetically altered trout approved for release in U.K. - National Geographic
Plans to pour tankfuls of genetically altered fish into wild lakes and rivers have been given the go-ahead in the United Kingdom after conservation scientists backed the project. According to a recent study, releasing the modified fish for anglers to catch is a better option than traditional trout farming and may even benefit native trout populations.t Stephen Fleishman's busy Bethesda shop, the era of the 95-cent bagel is coming to an end. Breaking the dollar barrier "scares me," said the Bronx-born owner of Bethesda Bagels. But with 100-pound bags of North Dakota flour now above $50 -- more than double what they were a few months ago -- he sees no alternative to a hefty increase in the price of his signature product, a bagel made by hand in the back of the store. MORE

t Stephen Fleishman's busy Bethesda shop, the era of the 95-cent bagel is coming to an end.

APR 29, 2008 - Emptying the Breadbasket - Washington Post
At Stephen Fleishman's busy Bethesda shop, the era of the 95-cent bagel is coming to an end. Breaking the dollar barrier "scares me," said the Bronx-born owner of Bethesda Bagels. But with 100-pound bags of North Dakota flour now above $50 -- more than double what they were a few months ago -- he sees no alternative to a hefty increase in the price of his signature product, a bagel made by hand in the back of the store. MORE

APR 25, 2008 - GMO coupled with organic farms best for environment - Reuters
Genetic engineering, combined with organic farming, may be the best way to grow food for a rising population as the world confronts climate change and environmental degradation, a U.S. rice scientist said. MORE

APR 21, 2008 - In Lean Times, Biotech Grains Are Less Taboo - New York Times (subscription required)
Soaring food prices and global grain shortages are bringing new pressures on governments, food companies and consumers to relax their longstanding resistance to genetically engineered crops. MORE

APR 18, 2008 - BASF threatens EU over potato - Yahoo Finance
For nine months, the European Commission has been considering whether to approve cultivation of a genetically engineered potato. On Thursday, the company involved said it would take the EU executive to court if it doesn't decide soon. MORE

APR 11, 2008 - Cotton, rice and corn-ucopia: Hard work documented by video - Capital Press (subscription needed)
The unrelenting difficulty and abundant hard work of producing food and agricultural products are rarely presented when most of today's farm stories are told. A video by one department of the University of California might help change that. At least that's the hope of plant and microbiologist Peggy Lemaux, PH.D at Berkeley. Her upbringing on an Iowa farm was part of the impetus that led to production of the peer-reviewed documentary titled Cornucopia's Challenge. MORE

APR 11, 2008 - GM Golden Rice to take the field - The Economic Times
Researchers have started trials for genetically modified (GM) Golden Rice as prices of the grain soar internationally and importing nations fret about possible shortages. Gerard Barry, the co-ordinator of the Golden Rice Network, said on Thursday that field testing on the GM rice, enriched with Vitamin A, started last week in the Philippines. MORE

APR 7, 2008 - No end in site for animal cloning moratorium: USDA - Reuters
The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Monday it will not lift a voluntary moratorium on selling meat and milk from cloned animals to consumers any time soon. MORE

APR 3, 2008 - U.S. National Corn Growers Association urges House of Representatives to protect genetic research for vital crops - National Corn Growers Association
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Wednesday asked members of the U.S. House to protect the focus of the National Plant Genome Research Program on crops that are “agronomically important” – plants grown to bring value back to the consumer and the taxpayer, as stated in the program’s original intent and mandate.any of the foods we eat are already genetically modified or contain genetically modified ingredients, a genetic expert told Monterey County residents Thursday. MORE

APR 2, 2008 - Ban on meat, milk from cloned cow may be lifted - Japan Today
A state-run Japanese agricultural organization has concluded that there is no biological difference in the quality of meat and in the constituents of milk between products from next-generation cloned cows and those from conventionally bred ones, government sources said Tuesday. MORE

MAR 31, 2008 - GM sugarcane trials in Brazil, Australia - Checkbiotech.org
The structure, water use, fertiliser intake, sucrose content, and the very nature of sugar production in sugarcane are likely to undergo major changes with the modern tools of biotechnology and genetic modification. Field trials of GM sugarcane crops for these traits are being undertaken in Brazil and Australia. MORE

MAR 28, 2008 - Monterey County considers ban on genetically modified crops - The Salinas Californian
Many of the foods we eat are already genetically modified or contain genetically modified ingredients, a genetic expert told Monterey County residents Thursday. MORE

MAR 27, 2008 - Hawaii won't ban genetic coffee - USA Today
Hawaii won't ban genetically altered coffee, a decision that worries growers of the prized Kona coffee brand who want to keep it pure. MORE

MAR 26, 2008 - Dual testing no longer needed for US rice - Checkbiotech.org
Rice imported from the United States no longer needs to be tested for the presence of GM material both at the point of export and on arrival in the EU, following an amendment to emergency measures following the 2006 contamination incident.rop failure in Kenya and other parts of Africa will soon be a thing of the past following the launch of an ambitious programme to develop a drought-resistant maize variety. MORE

MAR 20, 2008 - Firm to develop maize that resists drought - Checkbiotech.org
Crop failure in Kenya and other parts of Africa will soon be a thing of the past following the launch of an ambitious programme to develop a drought-resistant maize variety. MORE

MAR 20, 2008 - GMO ban efforts start in Lake, Monterey counties - Capital Press
Groups in Lake and Monterey counties are beginning to lay the groundwork for bans on genetically modified organisms. Bans currently are in effect in Mendocino, Marin, Santa Cruz and Trinity counties and in the cities of Arcata and Point Arena. Chuck March, executive director of Lake County Farm Bureau, said the Farm Bureau is opposed to any localized ordinance against genetically engineered crops, which they believe should be controlled at either the state or federal levels. MORE

MAR 17, 2008 - The new organic - Checkbiotech.org
The future of food may depend on an unlikely marriage: organic farmers and genetic engineering. MORE

MAR 5, 2008 - United States move to label cloned food - Agbios
The debate over cloned food in the past year has been ferocious. As the Food & Drug Administration weighed whether to allow food from cloned animals into the country's food supply, more than 30,000 public comments flooded in, with the overwhelming majority opposed to the move. Lea Askren, one consumer who wrote to the agency, called the practice "unethical, disturbing, and disgusting." Yet on Jan. 15, the FDA sided with the scientists who have researched the issue, saying that meat and milk from cloned animals are "as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals." MORE

MAR 4, 2008 - GM Maize: 110,000 Hectares under Cultivation - GMO-Compass
The cultivation of genetically modified plants in the EU is increasing. In 2007, genetically modified maize was grown on a total of nearly 110,000 hectares in Spain, France, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Germany. In the previous year, GM plantings comprised 62,000 hectares, totalling approximately 1 percent of maize cultivation areas. "doomsday" seed vault built to protect millions of food crops from climate change, wars and natural disasters opened Tuesday deep within an Arctic mountain in the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. MORE

MAR 2, 2008 - Bollworms develop resistance - Natchez Democrat
A recently published study suggests that bollworms are developing a resistance to a common pest control method. Bt-cotton is a genetically engineered plant that produces the toxin Bacillus thuringiensis, which is deadly to several cotton pests. MORE

FEB 28, 2008 - Doomsday’ seed vault opens in Arctic - MSNBC
A "doomsday" seed vault built to protect millions of food crops from climate change, wars and natural disasters opened Tuesday deep within an Arctic mountain in the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. MORE

FEB 28, 2008 - Trawl of two groups' genes shows differences - Reuters
A trawl through the genes of white people in Utah and Yoruba people in Nigeria shows a significant number of differences that can explain why some groups respond differently to drugs than others. MORE

FEB 28, 2008 - Famed geneticist creating life form that turns CO2 to fuel - AFP
A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel. Geneticist Craig Venter disclosed his potentially world-changing "fourth-generation fuel" project at an elite Technology, Entertainment and Design conference in Monterey, California. team drawing on the Japanese government, universities and companies has developed rice that can act as a cholera vaccine by genetically altering it to include part of the protein of a cholera bacterium. MORE

FEB 28, 2008 - High food prices push China towards GMO: scientist - Environmental News Network
Rising food prices and concerns over grains security have caused a shift in Chinese regulators' attitude towards genetically modified crops, a prominent Chinese researcher and GMO advocate said on Wednesday. MORE

FEB 22, 2008 - Japanese team tweaks rice to serve as drug delivery system - TradingCharts.com
A research team drawing on the Japanese government, universities and companies has developed rice that can act as a cholera vaccine by genetically altering it to include part of the protein of a cholera bacterium. MORE

FEB 15, 2008 - Genetic engineering makes apples more environmentally friendly - Wageningen UR
Genetic modification of apples can result in a more sustainable way of cultivation. This was the outcome of an Wageningen UR study in which the resistance of 280 genetically modified apple trees against scab, the most common fungal disease in the apple farming industry, was researched in a field experiment. MORE

FEB 13, 2008 - Brazil gives final permit for GMO corn varieties - Reuters
Brazil's National Biosafety Council (CNBS) gave the final clearance on Tuesday for two varieties of genetically modified corn for commercial use. The varieties were insect-resistant MON 810 produced by Monsanto (MON.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Liberty Link made by Bayer CropScience (BAYG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), which is resistant to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium. MORE

FEB 9, 2008 - French GM ban infuriates farmers, delights environmentalists - AFP
France officially banned Saturday a strain of genetically modified corn from US agribusiness giant Monsanto, delighting environmentalists but sparking outrage from the company and French farmers. MORE

FEB 8, 2008 - First evidence emerges of pest resistance to GM crops: scientists - AFP
Scientists poring over a mass of studies into the response of pests to genetically-modified cotton say they have found the first confirmation that insects have developed resistance to transgenic crops. MORE

FEB 1, 2008 - Darigold to take rBST-free route - Capital Press (subscription required)
Following in the footsteps of other dairy processors in the region, Darigold will institute a total ban on the use of rBST effective Jan. 1, 2009. MORE

FEB 1, 2008 - Retooled genetic engineering bill passes Californian (USA) Assembly - Capital Press (subscription required)
A reworked version of a bill introduced last year to protect farmers against being sued when their crops become contaminated with genetically modified materials is on its way to the state Senate. MORE

JAN 31, 2008 - Cloned food? Not in our kitchens, chefs say - Reuters
If pizza maker Simone Padoan saw a slab of cloned meat in his local supermarket, the Italian chef says he would be too scared to bring it into his kitchen. MORE

JAN 23, 2008 - Biotech critics challenging Monsanto GMO sugar beet - Reuters
Opponents of biotech crops said on Wednesday they were filing a lawsuit to challenge the USDA's deregulation of Monsanto Co's genetically engineered sugar beet because of fears of "biological contamination" and other harm to the environment. MORE

JAN 18, 2008 - Vatican slams California firm's cloning experiments - AFP
A leading Vatican official on Friday condemned a US company's announcement that it had created cloned human embryos from adult skin cells. MORE

JAN 17, 2008 - US consumers unfazed by GM foods - AFP
Fears over genetically-modified foods have failed to make much impact in the United States where consumers and the US media are less fired up about the issue than Europeans, activists say. MORE

JAN 13, 2008 - Biotech companies race for drought-tolerant crops - Reuters
Outside the headquarters of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc, the pavement is iced over and workers arriving for the day are bundled up against the cold. But inside a laboratory, a warm, man-made drought is in force, curling the leaves of rows of fledgling corn plants as million-dollar machines and scientists in white coats monitor their distress. MORE

JAN 3, 2008 - Australia looks to GM crops after scorching 2007 - AFP
Australia's agriculture minister on Thursday hailed genetically modified crops as a means to help farmers combat climate change, as data showed 2007 was the country's sixth hottest year on record. MORE

JAN 2, 2008 - Both sides cite science to address altered corn - New York Times
A proposal that Europe’s top environment official made last month, to ban the planting of a genetically modified corn strain, sets up a bitter war within the European Union, where politicians have done their best to dance around the issue.The environmental commissioner, Stavros Dimas, said he had based his decision squarely on scientific studies suggesting that long- term uncertainties and risks remain in planting the so-called Bt corn. MORE

DEC 18, 2007 - Italians crack open DNA secrets of Pinot Noir - Reuters
Italian scientists have cracked open the genetic make-up of Pinot Noir, responsible for the great red wines of Burgundy, in a breakthrough that may lead to hardier vines and cheaper fine wines. MORE

DEC 18, 2007 - Lawmakers and consumers ask FDA to delay cloning ruling - Reuters
The Food and Drug Administration should delay a decision on whether milk and meat from some cloned animals are safe to eat until additional safety studies can be conducted, a Democratic lawmaker and consumer groups said in separate statements on Tuesday. MORE

DEC 16, 2007 - Pelosi leads the House to go organic in its cafeterias - San Francisco Chronicle
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have left her progressive instincts at the barn door when she drove a starch-, sugar- and fat-bloated bill that all but left out organic farmers through the House last summer, but when it comes to food for Congress, it's out with high-fructose corn syrup and in with uncaged hens and hormone-free milk. MORE

DEC 14, 2007 - Monsanto wins ruling on gene-modified canola - Edmonton Journal
Monsanto, the world's biggest seed producer, won a five-year legal fight in Canada over its genetically altered canola with the country's top court spurning a bid by a group of farmers and consumers to sue the company. MORE

DEC 12, 2007 - Scientists set to release new disease-resistant wheat - High Plains Journal
'Mace', a new winter wheat cultivar developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists and cooperators, could give growers an added measure of insurance against outbreaks of wheat streak mosaic virus. MORE

DEC 5, 2007 - GM rice unlikely to pose health threats, says EFSA - Foodproductiondaily.com
The genetically modified LLRice62 poses no evident harm to humans, animals or the environment, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). German chemicals company Bayer CropScience applied for the placing of the GM rice on the market for food and feed uses, but not for cultivation, in August 2004. Following extensive scientific assessment, the Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms has now released its opinion. MORE

NOV 27, 2007 - Genetic engineering tames drought, climate change - Reuters
Climate change is a major issue these days that has awaken the concerns of the world as natural catastrophes intensify. One of its most common catastrophes is drought. However, now, a team of researchers is nearing a solution. MORE

NOV 26, 2007 - Scotts to pay $500,000 fine over biotech bentgrass - Reuters
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co will pay a $500,000 fine over allegations it failed to comply with U.S. rules while testing a genetically engineered grass variety that could one day be used on lawns and athletic fields, the Agriculture Department said on Monday. MORE

NOV 21, 2007 - Embryonic stem cells made without embryos - Reuters
Researchers have transformed ordinary human skin cells into batches of cells that look and act like embryonic stem cells -- but without using cloning technology and without making embryos. MORE

NOV 16, 2007 - Genetic techniques to speed tree improvement - Bend Weekly (Oregon)
A new move toward “marker based breeding” with economically important forest tree species is expected to improve and speed up the identification of trees with desirable traits – to achieve faster growth, drought resistance, wood quality or other useful characteristics. MORE

NOV 14, 2007 - Scientists say they have created first cloned embryo from primate - AFP
Scientists said Wednesday they had created the world's first cloned embryo from a monkey, in work that could spur cloning of human cells for use in medical research. In a paper published online by the British journal Nature, a team in the US said they had created cloned embryos of rhesus macaques, using the same method that famously led to Dolly the Sheep and other genetically duplicated animals. MORE

NOV 5, 2007 - Special variety tomatoes for Siachen soldiers - The Economic Times
Soldiers fighting extreme cold conditions in Siachen can now grow tomatoes in the higher plains. After detailed research in the field, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has succeeded in developing transgenic tomatoes for supplying to the soldiers in Siachen belt. MORE

NOV 5, 2007 - Scientists look at needs to develop sweet potato sector - Biopact
Next year is the 'International Year of the Potato'. Sweet potatoes, often misunderstood, underrated and disliked by local populations as a marginal food, are receiving new attention as a life-saving crop in developing countries. Scientists conducted a survey to understand why the sweet potato remains a relatively marginal crop, despite its large potential. MORE

NOV 1, 2007 - The bioeconomy at work: scientists make gold nanoparticles from soybeans - Biopact
The nanotech revolution is going green in an amazing way. Soon, gold nanoparticles, one of the darling materials of the new science field, could be made by utilizing soybeans instead of environmentally damaging synthetic chemicals. A team of researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) has discovered a technique with which to literally turn soybeans into gold, with nothing more than a little water and the gold salts used in traditional nanoparticle production processes. MORE

OCT 24, 2007 - EU allows imports of four GMO crop varieties - Reuters
The European Union has authorized imports of four genetically modified (GMO) crop products for sale across its 27 national markets for the next 10 years, the European Commission said on Wednesday. MORE

OCT 23, 2007 - Genetically altered food: Labels hotly debated in Iowa - The Des Moines Register
Iowa is playing center stage in a global debate over whether people should be warned when the genetic makeup of their food has been altered. A national advocacy group believes consumers would demand that genetically modified foods be labeled if they knew just how much is being changed in labs. The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods is pushing presidential candidates to support making labeling the law - with some success.ponents call them Frankenfoods, man-made aberrations that should be banished from our
MORE

OCT 22, 2007 - Biotech foods are still hard to swallow - Los Angeles Times
Opponents call them Frankenfoods, man-made aberrations that should be banished from our
grocery stores or at least clearly labeled so consumers know what they're eating. MORE

OCT 17, 2007 - Genetically modified food in Kenyan shops - Daily Nation
Genetically modified foods have infiltrated Kenya's supermarkets without being labelled as such, new research commissioned by the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition (KBC) has found. MORE

OCT 17, 2007 - Plants work as assembly lines to fight cancer - Checkbiotech
Almost everyone has heard of, or experienced, the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Now a laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia has described a plant- derived protein, which could soon be used as an anti- cancer vaccine, thus reducing the number of people who would need chemotherapy. MORE

OCT 10, 2007 - Genetically Engineered Corn Could Harm Aquatic Ecosystems - Science Daily
A study by an Indiana University environmental science professor and several colleagues suggests a widely planted variety of genetically engineered corn has the potential to harm aquatic ecosystems. MORE

OCT 6, 2007 - USDA can't pinpoint how biotech rice taint occurred - Reuters
A lengthy U.S. investigation failed to pinpoint how trace amounts of a biotech rice under development at a research facility made their way into two widely grown varieties of long-grain rice, Agriculture Department officials said on Friday. MORE

OCT 4, 2007 - U.S. corn yields soar thanks to stellar genetics - Forbes
Stellar genetics and favorable weather are boosting corn yields to unheard of levels this harvest season in the United States, agronomists and grains analysts said on Thursday. MORE

OCT 3, 2007 - French farmers say GMO ban harmful - Reuters
France risks losing its seat among top food producers if it rejects genetically modified (GMO) crops altogether in an upcoming law on biotech organisms, French farmers and producers said on Wednesday. MORE

OCT 3, 2007 - Canadian couple win award for defending biodiversity - Globe and Mail
Percy and Louise Schmeiser may not be winners in the eyes of the Canadian court system, but they have become victors to countless others. The couple from Bruno, Sask., both 76, have gained international fame as the prairie farmers sued by U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto Co. for violating its patent on genetically engineered canola seeds back in 1997. MORE

OCT 1, 2007 - Genetic modification seen key for future biofuels - Reuters
Genetic modification has a major role to play in developing second generation biofuels, scientist Simon McQueen-Mason said on Monday. MORE

SEPT 27, 2007 - Biotech maize blocked in EU - Forbes
Agriculture ministers from 10 EU countries on Wednesday blocked approval of three genetically modified varieties of maize for use on the European market, reflecting continued deep divisions among EU nations over whether biotech crops pose a risk to human or animal health. MORE

SEPT 17, 2007 - Kansas rice to help childhood illness - The Wichita Eagle
Within a month, Kansas will begin its first-ever rice harvest.But this is not your average rice. The crop that will be harvested from about 300 acres of Geary County farmland has been genetically engineered to express a protein found in human breast milk. MORE

SEPT 14, 2007 - EU Court rejects Austrian biotech ban - supports right to choose biotech crops - EuropaBio
Yesterday, the European Court of Justice confirmed that statutory GMO-free regions are illegal. The Court dismissed the appeals of Upper Austria and the Austrian Government against their ban on the use of biotech crops in the region of Upper Austria. MORE

SEPT 13, 2007 - Salmon Spawn Baby Trout in Experiment - San Francisco Chronicle
Papa salmon plus mama salmon equals ... baby trout? Japanese researchers put a new spin on surrogate parenting as they engineered one fish species to produce another, in a quest to preserve endangered fish. MORE

SEPT 12, 2007 - More Nutritional Cassava (Yucca) For Developing World - Science Daily
An intensive international effort to improve the nutritional value of cassava -- a staple food for millions of poverty stricken people in sub-Sahara Africa and other areas -- has led to development of a New form of cassava that may be easier to digest than other varieties. MORE

SEPT 10, 2007 - Winston backs breeding 'designer pigs with hearts for humans' - Daily Mail
British scientists could be breeding designer pigs in just two years that would offer hope to transplant patients. The research, led by fertility expert Professor Lord Robert Winston, eventually aims to breed genetically-modified animals with organs that would not be rejected when transplanted into desperately-ill men and women. MORE

SEPT 7, 2007 - EU to clear new GMO beet - Reuters
EU ministers and national experts are due to approve a genetically modified (GMO) sugar beet variety this month despite a long running dispute over the use of biotechnology. MORE

SEPT 6, 2007 - Japan accepts U.S. genetically modified corn - Frederick News Post
Japan's recent agreement to accept genetically modified U.S. corn is a welcome turn of events for the national corn industry. The announcement comes as a sigh of relief, said Jamie Jamison, Dickerson, a grain farmer and director of the National Corn Growers Association. Japan is the largest importer of American corn, and the U.S. is the largest corn producer in the world. MORE

SEPT 5, 2007 - Authorities give GM crop trials the green light - Beauregard Daily News
The Federal Environment Office has given Swiss scientists the go-ahead to carry out crop trials involving genetically modified (GM) wheat. It said on Tuesday that two teams could carry out three GM field experiments near Zurich and Lausanne, including observations of potential crossbreeding between wheat and wild grass, but only under “very strict conditions”. MORE