Reading Time: < 1 minute The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, storing food crop seeds from around the world in man-made caves on a remote Norwegian Arctic island will receive more than 14,000 new samples on Tuesday, a custodian of the facility said.
Arctic doomsday seed vault gets more than 14,000 new samples
Russia extends quota on ‘unfriendly’ country seed imports, Interfax reports
Reading Time: < 1 minute Russia on Monday extended quotas on the import of certain types of seed from countries designated as "unfriendly", the Interfax news agency reported, citing the Russian government's press service.
China approves seed firms for GMO corn and soybeans
The world's biggest buyer of soybeans and corn wants to reduce its reliance on imports
Reading Time: 2 minutes China has approved a first batch of seed companies to breed and sell genetically modified corn and soybean seeds, paving the way for commercial planting of GMO grains in a move that could cut its reliance on imports from the U.S. and Brazil.
Seed regulation consultation results released
CFIA 'anticipates' more consultations this winter
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is getting closer to updating its seed regulations. On Monday, the agency released a “What We Heard” report summarizing the responses of 315 individuals and groups who participated in an online survey from Feb. 15 to May 1. The CFIA is looking to update seed regulations to “reduce complexity, protect […] Read more
CropLife not driving CFIA policy, agency says
NFU calls for CFIA head's ouster over 'indication of improper collaboration'
Reading Time: 3 minutes The National Farmers Union and a clutch of other organizations have asked Canada’s federal ag minister to replace the president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, citing questions about the provenance of regulatory proposals on gene-edited seed. CFIA officials, however, reject the NFU’s allegation that the metadata attached to the proposal document in question may […] Read more
In one giant leap for Earth plants, seeds are grown in moon soil
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — Scientists for the first time have grown seeds in soil from the moon — samples retrieved during NASA missions in 1969 and 1972 — in an achievement that heralds the promise of using earthly plants to support human outposts on other worlds. Researchers said on Thursday they planted seeds of a […] Read more
Mildew scrapped as grading factor for No. 3 wheats
Grading changes also planned for canola admixture, splits in peas, excreta in mustard
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Grain Commission will change its standard samples for mildew in No. 1 and No. 2 wheats, and drop it as a grading factor for No. 3 wheats, effective this summer. The CGC on Monday laid out a list of changes to its grain grading policies and standards for wheat, canola, peas, beans and […] Read more
Mexico won’t limit GMO corn imports from U.S., ag minister says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ankeny, Iowa | Reuters — Mexico’s agriculture minister said the country would not limit imports of genetically modified (GMO) corn from the United States during a meeting with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Iowa on Wednesday. Mexico published an executive order late last year that sought to ban in three years the use of […] Read more
Syngenta’s Shanghai IPO to fund growth, acquisitions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hong Kong/Zurich | Reuters — Syngenta Group will use the proceeds from its US$10 billion initial public offering (IPO) to fund internal growth and an acquisition spree to snare more of the $100 billion market for seeds and sprays, the agrichemical giant said on Friday. The company’s prospectus to list on Shanghai’s Nasdaq-style STAR Market […] Read more
China building world’s largest seed bank
Larger facility a bid to boost food security
Reading Time: < 1 minute Beijing | Reuters — China will complete a new national crop germplasm bank this year, the agriculture minister said Wednesday, to boost the country’s capacity to develop new crop varieties and enhance food security. The bank has a designed capacity of 1.5 million copies, almost four times the existing one, and will be the world’s […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
