Genetically modified food Archives - Page 3 of 15

Forage Seed Canada president, Heather Kerschbaumer

Concerns about Roundup Ready alfalfa raised at national forage meeting

Many forage and forage seed importers have zero tolerance for GM crops, including alfalfa

By Allan Dawson December 15, 2014

Asingle genetically modified (GM) canola seed cut the value of Heather Kerschbaumer’s timothy seed in half — costing her $20,000. That’s why the seed farmer from Fairview, Alta., fears the introduction of GM Roundup Ready alfalfa. “In my opinion I think it would be a devastating blow to the seed industry, especially for our Peace

Opinion

A sustainable food supply is a worthy goal, but beware of simplistic solutions

Intensive, large-scale production employing the latest technology is key to feeding a hungry world

By Al Mussell October 14, 2014

The view that we need to change how we produce food in the name of sustainability has become ubiquitous in Canada and other developed countries. Indeed, spurred on by the perceptions of some consumers, the food industry has become keenly interested in how farmers produce food. They want to know about their carbon footprint; animal

Howard Buffett is interviewed by Charlene Finck during the sixth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture held in Winnipeg. Photo: Shannon VanRaes

News

Biotech has role in conservation

No need to be technology averse when it comes to conservation agriculture and improving soil health

By Shannon VanRaes July 4, 2014

Biotechnology can be used to improve soil health but that’s not necessarily happening the way it is being used today, the keynote speaker at the World Congress on Conservation Agriculture said. David Montgomery, author of Dirt, The Erosion of Civilizations and a professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington told the conference biotechnology does

Cereals, Crops

Tri-country statement supports GM wheat commercialization

Cereals Canada says it’s a call to researchers not to give up on biotech wheat

By Allan Dawson June 18, 2014

Ten years after Monsanto put the brakes on releasing genetically modified (GM) Roundup Ready wheat, 16 organizations in Canada, the United States and Australia have stated their support for commercializing GM wheat. However, the trilateral statement issued June 5, also suggests countries adopt a policy for dealing with the low-level presence of GM crops in

Mature man speaking into microphone at a conference.

Crops, News

Doubling of food needs tied to poverty reduction

Cargill’s Greg Page says a 100 per cent increase in food production is doable, but it requires work, including more scientific research

By Allan Dawson May 5, 2014

Projections that world food production must double by 2050 hinge on a very big assumption — billions of poor people getting richer, says Greg Page, Cargill’s executive chairman and former CEO. “The only way for the… 100 per cent increase in food production is if the population grows by two billion and the proportion of

News

Global warming turned anti-GMO activist Mark Lynas into a promoter

Environmentalist and author spoke at CropConnect

By Allan Dawson March 5, 2014

Mark Lynas, the British author who made headlines a year ago by reversing his opposition to genetically modified crops says it was the compelling science on climate change that made him do it. “You can’t take a position saying, ‘I am defending climate change on the basis of the scientific consensus, but I’m opposing GMOs

Dennis Stephens, secretary of the International Grain Trade Coalition, says grain trading is at risk so long as importers don’t have a policy allowing a low-level presence of unapproved GM crop traits. photo: allan dawson

Crops, Oilseeds

Canada leads efforts to convince importers to dump zero tolerance

By Allan Dawson November 27, 2013

Canada is leading efforts to get an international agreement that would see countries accept small amounts of unapproved genetically modified (GM) crops in their imports, says Dennis Stephens. And the Oakbank-based secretary of the International Grain Trade Coalition credits Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz for leading the charge. Ritz, along with Canada’s flax industry, experienced first

News, Oilseeds

Chinese state media kick into high gear to ease GMO food fears

By Niu Shuping November 20, 2013

China’s state media are working overtime to persuade the public that genetically modified food is safe, apparently softening up the population for a policy switch to allow the sale of such food to ensure its 1.35 billion people have enough to eat. In the past 30 years, China’s urban population has jumped to about 700

Crops

After Washington GMO label battle, both sides eye national fight

By Carey Gillam, Reuters November 14, 2013

Both sides of the costly and high-stakes GMO labelling battle in Washington state say they see an even bigger national fight ahead despite the apparent defeat of the mandatory labelling measure by Washington state voters this week. The measure died 47.05 per cent to 52.95 per cent, according to results updated Nov. 7 night by

Oilseeds, Opinion

One tool for a complex problem

By Laura Rance July 11, 2013

History is full of examples of heated, ideological and rhetorical public debates that somehow miss the point. The controversy over genetically modified crops is such a case. The debate has generally fallen into two camps — the “Frankenfood” phenomenon, the question of whether we should be meddling with nature’s processes for genetic evolution and “feeding

Buyers found for five Prairie pulse plants

‘Two Michaels’ have left China, Trudeau says

Prairie cash wheat: Gains in prices vary by type

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