Genetic engineering Archives | Manitoba Co-operator

Canada signatory to biotechnology support statement

Twenty-eight countries support the call for minimizing trade disruption related to biotech crops

By Alex Binkley November 20, 2018

Agri-food groups are welcoming Canada’s work in formulating an international statement supporting biotechnology and regulatory agreements that support the technology and minimize trade disruptions. “Growers are excited about the potential of new plant-breeding innovations,” said Jeff Nielsen, president of Grain Growers of Canada. “We look forward to also seeing progress here at home.” New tools

Cereals, News

Academics say GM wheat possible subversion

No one has offered an explanation for wheat to appear after 17 years, and far from its original plot

By Alex Binkley August 2, 2018

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency needs to keep investigating the still-unknown variety of genetically modified wheat found in Alberta last year, says the Canadian co-author of an article that speculates on who could have planted it. Rob Wager of Vancouver Island University, who specializes in biochemistry and molecular biology, is the co-author of ‘The Mystery

The CFIA announced on June 14 that seven genetically modified wheat plants had been found earlier this year.

Cereals, News

GM wheat in Alberta raises questions

CFIA stresses what’s most important is Canada’s commercial wheat and seed system are GM-free

By Allan Dawson June 15, 2018

Regulators are scratching their heads after seven genetically modified wheat plants were found in Alberta. No country, including Canada, allows genetically modified (GM) wheat to be produced commercially, so the discovery raises questions, including some the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) can’t answer, like how it got there and the variety of wheat involved. However,

Local farmers, nutritionists, researchers and industry representatives tackle the GMO debate at the Brandon screening of “Food Evolution” April 10.

Country Crossroads, Local news

Documentary takes off the gloves on GMO debate

GMOs have been a lightning rod for controversy, but documentary  ‘Food Evolution’ argues that science has been the underdog in the debate

By Alexis Stockford May 9, 2018

Agriculture recently had a red-carpet moment, with twin screening of the documentary “Food Evolution” in Brandon and Winnipeg. Organized by the Manitoba Canola Growers, Canola Eat Well, the Manitoba Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association, Canadian Agri-Marketing Association and Assiniboine Community College, screening and panel discussion on April 10 aimed to educate the public about the

No matter the type of plant breeding used over the last 10,000 years, the goal has always been the same – genetic improvement.

Opinion

Opinion: Clarifying ‘What’s in a name?’

By Sandi Knight May 1, 2018

Science has always led the way in agriculture, and continues to do so today. Yet advances in plant breeding are being met with skepticism, fear and vehement opposition by many consumers. Perhaps we aren’t listening closely enough to their concerns. Because we understand the science, we assumed they would too. We’ve failed in telling our

Crops, Opinion

Opinion: Attacks against GMOs? Why I take it personally

By Andrew Campbell June 26, 2017

I’m a farmer who likes to scroll through Twitter. Not long ago, a tweet popped up from a Manitoba farmer criticizing a local cheese maker for pasting Non-GMO Project Verified labels on some products. It started a conversation that I’ve seen a hundred times online: Should companies be able to market whatever and however they

Crops

Changing the discussion on genetic engineering

A genetic engineering researcher who is married to an organic farmer is trying to bridge the gap between consumers and science

By John Greig March 29, 2017

The evolution of genetic engineering will continue, with more diverse options, giving scientists more flexibility to breed crops better for farmers and human nutrition. But farmers and researchers will continue to have to explain the technology to consumers focused on the genetic level, said Pamela Ronald. Ronald, a genetic engineering researcher at the University of

Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: The nothing strategy

By Laura Rance July 21, 2016

This week, President Obama is expected to sign legislation that will require labels on foods produced using ingredients from genetically modified crops — a notion many in food and farming circles once considered unthinkable. That is, until they were confronted with the potential for something much worse — multiple labelling laws. In the absence of

Opinion

Non-GMO verification frequently illegal and nonsensical

By Karen Daynard July 18, 2016

I’ve been in the marketing end of agriculture for the past 25 years and have done a lot of work on branding, including developing logos. Logos have a great deal of power. There’s one which infuriates me becoming more prevalent — that of the Non-GMO Project. According to their website, “The Non-GMO Project is a

Quebec MP Pierre Dusseault is calling for mandatory labelling of GM content in food products.

News

NDP MP introduces GMO labelling bill

MP Pierre Dusseault says Canadians deserve to be able to make informed choices about what they’re eating

By Alex Binkley July 12, 2016

GMO labelling may be back on the parliamentary menu if Quebec NDP MP Pierre Dusseault can convince colleagues to support his private member’s bill. It won’t be debated until next fall at the earliest — if at all — but he will get to test his arguments when the Commons agriculture committee begins a study

B.C. ag minister, critic expected to win re-election

Canada’s wheat ending stocks projections raised

Fund traders grow long positions in canola, U.S. futures

GFM Network News