Archive for April, 2008

Sticker Shock in the Organic Aisles

Source: New York Times
Date: April 30, 2008
Authors: Andrew Martin and Kim Severson
Shoppers have long been willing to pay a premium for organic food. But how much is too much?Rising prices for organic groceries are prompting some consumers to question their devotion to food produced without pesticides, chemical fertilizers or antibiotics. In some parts [...]

Try modern technologies to deal with food crisis

The United Nations (UN), today, acknowledged that food shortages threaten the lives of millions of people, especially in the developing world.
Through its Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, the UN called for concerted efforts to find a permanent solution to chronic food shortages that have hit the developing world most.
But first, Moon will next week [...]

GM crops linked to $200m farm package

Source: The Age
Date: April 25, 2008
Author: David Wood
VICTORIAN farmers must embrace new technology, including genetically modified crops, to battle the effects of climate change and increased global competition, Premier John Brumby has warned. Read more….

Sphere: Related Content

Agriculture without science is ruin of the soul

Source: Patryce Amy’s Thoughts
Date: April 25 2008
Americans and Europeans seem to enjoy paying taxes for $300 billion of farm subsidies, and their main victims are the poor farmers of the poorest countries.Read more …

Sphere: Related Content

How Scepticism About Science Harms the Least Advantaged

Source: In search of Enlightenment
Date: April 25 2008
In some previous posts (e.g. here and here) I lamented about the harms of dogma and ignorance. Popular opposition to genetically modified crops is another perfect example of this. It’s easy for those in the richest countries to demand organic produce, even when it costs more than perfectly [...]

UC Davis researcher blogs on genetic engineering

Blogger Karl J. Mogel of The Inoculated writes that Dr. Pamela Ronald, a rice geneticist and director of Plant Genomics Program at UC Davis has a new blog called Tomorrow’s Table. Pam’s blog celebrates crop genetic engineering, from a scientist point of view.
Nobody’s excited by Pam’s blog than me. On this blog, on several [...]

Blogging Genetic Engineering

Source: The Inoculated Mind
Date: April 14, 2008
A few days ago, I received an email from a former professor of mine in Davis, Dr. Pamela Ronald. She’s the director of the Plant Genomics Program at UC Davis, a rice geneticist, swell person, and as of last week, a blogger! And I’m on her link [...]

Uganda gives go-ahead to biotechnology policy

Source: SciDev.net
Date: April 11, 2008
[KAMPALA] Uganda’s cabinet has approved its first National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy, after eight years of deliberation.
The policy was approved last week (2 April), and provides objectives and guidelines for the promotion and regulation of biotechnology use in the country. Read more….

Sphere: Related Content

Biotech crops may help environment

Source: Iowa Farmer Today
Date: April 11, 2008
Environmental activists long have held the notion biotech crops harm the environment. But, one researcher found some crops, such as glyphosate-resistant soybeans, actually might be helping. Read more….

Sphere: Related Content

GM and climate change – A hungry world needs answers on GM crops

Source: Ethical Corporation
Date: April 10, 2008
Genetically modified food has a role to play in addressing the impending climate-related food crisis. Read more….