In early May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its draft proposal for labeling foods containing genetically engineered ingredients, and the 106-page document was met with criticism and many unanswered questions.
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Whole Foods postpones GMO labeling requirement
Whole Foods Market recently said that it would delay implementation of the company’s GMO labeling policy, citing supplier challenges in meeting the policy and questions about the national
Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.
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Organic agriculture is going mainstream, but not the way you think it is
Conventional farms are increasingly adopting organic farming methods such as reducing the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers and excessive tillage, and increasing on-farm biodiversity, beneficial insects and soil conservation.
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Organic-approved produce coating promises to extend shelf life of fruits and vegetables, open new markets for farmers
A new company has developed an all-natural, virtually invisible coating that could significantly increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables such as avocados, mangoes, and cassava root.
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General Mills spotlights healthy soil, traceable organic ingredients
Conventional food manufacturing giant General Mills is making big commitments to producing organic food and supporting regenerative agriculture.
Organic trade group blasts USDA for “pattern of hostility” toward organics after termination of Organic Check-off
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently denounced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s action to terminate the rulemaking process to establish a national research and promotion program for organic (aka “Organic Check-off”).
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Study finds conventional rice production has 10 times more negative environmental impacts than organic
A study published recently in the
Journal of Cleaner Production
found that conventional rice production has significantly more negative environmental impacts than organic rice production.
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SILT Protects Farmland for Sustainable Food Production, Not Factory Farms
The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT), founded by Suzan Erem and 24 long-time Iowa leaders, aims to keep silt where it belongs, on the farm, through truly sustainable food farming.
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These Farmers Switched to Organic After Pesticides Made Their Families Sick
After seeing parents fall ill from cancer or die, many farmers are switching to organics to protect themselves and their children.
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Weedkiller found in granola and crackers, internal FDA emails show
Scientists with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have detected glyphosate, a weedkiller linked to cancer, in a wide range of food products, according to emails obtained through a freedom of information request.
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Glyphosate study shows negative effects to microbiome at “safe” dosage
A new global study examined the impact of the herbicide glyphosate on rats, and found health impacts related to sexual development, genotoxicity, and the intestinal microbiome.
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EU approves total ban on insecticides harming bees
Neonicotinoid insecticides are implicated in dramatic losses of bee pollinator colonies, and the European Union has voted to ban the three primary ones effective the end of 2018. Eighteen member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, voted in favor.
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Hawaii may ban neurotoxic pesticide that EPA kept on the market
I
n May, the Hawaii legislature made a momentous decision to pass a bill that would ban the neurotoxic pesticide chlorpyrifos.
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Ensuring non-GMO and organic flour for bakers
Consumers want their baked goods to be as honest and nutritious as their dairy, fruits, and vegetables—so they look for logos such as Certified Organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.
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New zinc-enriched non-GMO corn set to improve nutrition in Colombia
The first zinc-enriched corn variety developed for South America was released in Colombia this past February in an effort to combat malnutrition in the country.
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Non-GMO and organic seed trial data now online
The US Testing Network (USTN) announced that its non-GMO and organic seed yield trial data is now available online.
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BYF Brands builds secure non-GMO corn supply chain for PopCorners snack product
Three years ago, BYF Brands, maker of PopCorners snack product, took a big step to improve its supply chain and secure non-GMO corn for its product.
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Organic feed demand to achieve double-digit growth again over 2018
In the recently-released Mercaris Annual Organic Commodity Reports, Mercaris reported that the 2017/2018 marketing year will see continued growth in feed demand.
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China reportedly not buying any U.S. soybeans
Amid trade tensions between the U.S. and China resulting from President Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, and electronics from China, the world’s largest importer of soybeans is no longer importing from the United States, according to a Bloomberg report.
Global non-GM soybean demand to rise, driven by EU: Rabobank
Demand for “specialized” beans, such as organic, certified or plain non-GM beans, are expected to rise as consumers want to verify the sustainability of food production and to be able to track its origin
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Demand rises for non-GMO, EU-sourced feed
Feed compounders and dairy farmers in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are looking for locally sourced and produced ingredients for feed—that are not genetically modified.
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Scientist deconstructs “Zombie GMO Myths”
In a recent popular blog, Dr. Jonathan Foley, a global environmental scientist and executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, debunked the most common myths about genetically modified foods.
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Environmentalists and farmers seek court decision halting use of Dow’s “Agent Orange” pesticide
A coalition of environmental organizations and farmers represented by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and Earthjustice recently filed new legal papers in federal court seeking the reversal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) approval of Dow Chemical's toxic pesticide, Enlist Duo.
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Monsanto name gone but Bayer’s commitment to GMOs and pesticides remains
Bayer and Monsanto are completing their $66 million merger or “marriage made in hell” as activists call it, and Bayer will ditch the Monsanto name.
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Monsanto stops Bt GMO soybean launch in U.S.
Monsanto has halted indefinitely introduction of Intacta 2 Xtend soybeans to U.S. farmers—a second-generation product boasting multiple genetically modified Bt proteins and tolerance to dicamba.
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New research shows risks to insects from Rothamsted’s GMO “fishy” camelina
A camelina plant genetically engineered to produce omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA may reduce the learning ability of bees and other insects.
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Extreme Genetic Engineering
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Mail-order DNA, DIY gene tinkering: looming catastrophe?
Gene editing technology has become accessible to biohackers of all ages and stripes—sending ripples of alarm through academic and non-scientific circles alike.
“To unleash
something deadly... could really happen any day now,” said Dr. George Church, leading synthetic biologist.
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