Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters –– The world’s top food companies and farmers of crops such as beet sugar are pitted against each other as they lobby the U.S. government over plans to label genetically engineered ingredients. At the heart of the issue is transparency over ingredients used in food. Packaged foods makers are facing flagging […] Read more
Nestle, Hershey at odds with farmers over U.S. GMO labeling
Japan suspends sale of Canadian wheat
Reading Time: < 1 minute Tokyo/Winnipeg | Reuters — Japan’s farm ministry said Friday it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a genetically modified trait was discovered last summer in Alberta. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday the wheat containing a genetically modified trait, developed by Monsanto to tolerate Roundup herbicide, […] Read more
The benefits of GMO corn
There will always be differing viewpoints and opposing scientific studies, but looking at all of the peer reviewed studies offers a balanced consensus on the benefits and risks
Reading Time: 4 minutes It was in 1996 that genetically modified (GMO) crops were first grown commercially, yet the debate still rages over their safety and toxicology as well as over their environmental and agronomic impact. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re a supporter or an opponent, you’ve got a stack of scientific studies you can point […] Read more
U.S. farmers seek approval of GMO corn settlement with Syngenta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters –– U.S. farmers suing Syngenta over its decision to commercialize a genetically modified (GMO) strain of corn before China approved importing it sought court approval on Monday of a record US$1.51 billion settlement with the Swiss seed company. The deal covers U.S. corn producers, grain handling facilities and ethanol plants nationwide that sold corn […] Read more
German coalition deal sets no timetable to end glyphosate use
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hamburg | Reuters –– Germany’s draft coalition government deal includes a goal of ending use of glyphosate herbicide within the country, but gives no time frame, after Berlin swung a vote in November extending its use across the European Union. The timing of an end to glyphosate use has been highly controversial in Europe amid […] Read more
Limagrain says GMO protests could force R+D relocation
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters — Limagrain, the world’s fourth-largest seed maker, will consider moving its research activities out of France if field trials in its home market continue to be sabotaged by opponents of genetically modified crops. The French co-operative group was targeted last month by protestors who invaded test fields southeast of Paris and scattered […] Read more
Our CRISPR future
New technology promises to shove traditional GMO breeding aside, with huge gains for growers
Reading Time: 7 minutes Where were you when… you heard of GPS or Bt corn for the first time? Both were seminal moments of the past 25 years in agriculture that have led to further innovation and advances, increasing growers’ efficiency and productivity at practically every step of the way. Now, CRISPR technology represents another of these seminal moments, […] Read more
U.S. top court lets Conagra cooking oil class action proceed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear a bid by Conagra Brands to escape a class-action lawsuit accusing it of falsely labeling its cooking oil as 100 per cent natural even though it had genetically modified ingredients. Conagra had asked to the justices to hear its appeal of a […] Read more
ADM, Cargill still pursue Syngenta over corn rejections
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Syngenta moved closer to putting a troubled biotech corn seed launch behind it with a US$1.5 billion settlement with farmers this week, but grain traders who filed two remaining lawsuits may be less ready to compromise, legal experts said. The company was sued three years ago by the farmers and traders […] Read more
China approves two more GMO crops for import
Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China has approved two more genetically modified (GMO) crops for import, the Ministry of Agriculture said, the second such move in the past month to expand access to biotech seeds as part of Beijing’s 100-day trade talks with Washington. The two new crops, approved from July 16 for a period of […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
