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

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

A corn farmer holds corncobs during a protest in Mexico City January 2013. Farmers protested against the growing of transgenic or genetically modified corn, as it is one of the primary food staples of Mexico and Central America.  
Photo: REUTERS/Bernardo Montoya

Past and future collide as Mexico fights over GMO corn

After pioneering the cultivation of corn thousands of years ago, Mexico must overcome the weight of history to give the go-ahead to allow genetically modified strains into its fields. Religion, culture and science are competing for primacy in the debate on how acceptable corn produced by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is in a country where


After Washington GMO label battle, both sides eye national fight

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

One tool for a complex problem

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



Agricultural innovation in plant biotechnology necessary

Innovation is key to keeping Canada’s agricultural sector strong and science-based regulatory systems ensure that such innovations are safe for human health and the environment. Innovations derived through modern plant breeding help farmers, are good for the environment and they deliver tangible benefits to consumers by way of lower food costs. Agricultural innovation, including plant


Brandon rally draws 40 protesters opposed to introduction of Roundup Ready alfalfa

Opponents of genetically modified crops rallied in front of the constituency office of a local MP to protest approval of glyphosate-tolerant alfalfa, which they say could be seeded on fields in Eastern Canada as early as this spring. The demonstration, which drew about 40 protesters, was organized by the local chapter of the National Farmers

U.S. courts helpless to stop biotech crops while being reviewed

A number of U.S. farm groups wants to extend a law that allows farmers to grow a genetically modified crop while regulatory approval of the variety is still being challenged in court. No one in Congress claims ownership of Section 735 of a recent spending bill, but the 22-line provision has blown up a storm



Developing countries increasingly adopting GM crops

Genetically modified crops hit a milestone last year — for the first time, acreage of biotech crops in developing countries surpassed industrial ones. A record 17.3 million farmers grew biotech crops worldwide in 2012, up 600,000 from a year earlier, says a new report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).