GMOs NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94 NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94 GMOs Sat, 15 May 2021 05:06:19 +0000 https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Jonathan Ahl People who most intensely oppose genetically modified food think they know a lot about food science, but actually know the least, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in January in the journal Nature Human Behaviour . GMOs are widely considered safe by scientists, but opponents have said they want more science on the potential harm so that subjective arguments aren’t part of the equation. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/study-people-opposed-gmos-don-t-know-much-about-science-they-think 657 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Sun, 27 Jan 2019 16:11:01 +0000 Study: People Opposed To GMOs Don’t Know As Much About Science As They Think Esther Honig This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that only foods containing detectable genetic material should be considered as bioengineered or genetically modified (GMO). The USDA was tasked with deciding if refined products, like soybean oil and corn sweeteners, should be considered a GMO food. It said they are not, which is a victory for sugar beet farmers. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/usdas-new-rule-gmo-labeling-boon-sugar-beet-farmers 648 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 21 Dec 2018 22:48:59 +0000 USDA's New Rule For GMO Labeling A Boon For Sugar Beet Farmers Grant Gerlock After 13 years of work, a consortium of 200 scientists from 20 countries has released the first complete genome sequence for wheat. The discovery sets the stage for advances in a staple crop at a time when rising temperatures are beginning to threaten global production . https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/whole-wheat-complete-genome-expected-spark-research 573 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 17 Aug 2018 21:58:58 +0000 Whole Wheat: Complete Genome Expected To Spark Research Esther Honig Colorado farmer Steve Kelly brushes aside a small mound of dry yellow dirt to reveal a sugar beet seed that’s no larger than a peppercorn. It seems insignificant, but the seed is different from what he planted more than 20 years ago. “The quality of the beet wasn’t as good and yield and everything that way wasn’t as good either,” he said. Now all but 5 percent of sugar beet seeds in the U.S. are genetically modified, or GMO. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/sugar-beet-farmers-caught-gmo-debate-wait-usda-labeling-decision 513 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 18 May 2018 17:55:04 +0000 Sugar Beet Farmers Caught In GMO Debate, Wait For USDA Labeling Decision Grant Gerlock Though it’s not yet clear which highly processed ingredients will be labeled as genetically modified foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has released possible designs for those labels. The labels fulfill a law passed in 2016 that gives food companies three options to disclose GMO ingredients: a line of text, a scannable QR code, or a symbol. It is meant to be an impartial notice to shoppers, and the labels avoid the polarizing term “GMO.” Yet, one of the label designs released this month is a smiling orange and green sun with the letters “b-e” standing for “bioengineered,” which is the word used in the law. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/usda-unveils-gmo-label-prototypes-still-deciding-which-products-make-list 510 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 11 May 2018 21:42:24 +0000 USDA Unveils GMO Label Prototypes, Still Deciding Which Products Make The List Amy Mayer Two giants of American agriculture and industry are closer to becoming one. Dow and DuPont, both leaders in agricultural chemicals and seeds, among other products, received approval from the U.S. Department of Justice to move ahead with a merger, provided they divest several products. The companies will need to sell off certain insecticides and herbicides that are important for wheat and specialty crops, according to a Department of Justice statement , as well as a line of products used in food packaging. Those moves will preserve competition in the marketplace, the Department of Justice decided in approving the merger. Once merged, the companies plan to then split off into three separate businesses, one of which will be focused on agriculture. The Dow-DuPont merger has already received several international approvals, including from China, the European Union and Brazil. Mexico and Canada have not yet issued decisions. Growing consolidation of the companies that provide technology to https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/dow-dupont-merger-approved-us-antitrust-regulators 325 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 16 Jun 2017 17:16:47 +0000 Dow, DuPont Merger Approved By US Antitrust Regulators Kristofor Husted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noC-aaR7CLc Two of the top questions I get as an agriculture reporter for Harvest Public Media are: What are pesticides, actually? How are they used on my food? From foodies to farmers, pesticides are a sensitive subject. First: Pesticides are chemical concoctions used to control, destroy or regulate pesky weeds and insects. Herbicides kill weeds. Insecticides kill bugs. For most purposes, we use the umbrella term “pesticides” to cover both types, which falls in line with the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition . Some of the most popular pesticides are atrazine and glyphosate , which is the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, produced by agribusiness giant Monsanto. Farmers often spray pesticides over crops like corn or soybeans, the vast majority of which in the U.S. have been genetically modified to withstand those chemicals. Pesticides are also often used in growing tomatoes, apples and other fruits and vegetables we eat directly. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/watch-what-are-pesticides-and-how-are-they-used 306 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 05 May 2017 09:03:00 +0000 Watch: What Are Pesticides And How Are They Used? Grant Gerlock Genetically engineered crops are nothing new. But new technology that allows scientists to alter plants more precisely and more cheaply is taking genetically engineered plants from the field to the kitchen. The first version of the Arctic Apple, a genetically modified Golden Delicious, is headed for test markets in the Midwest in February, according to the company that produced it. It is the first genetically engineered apple, altered so that when it is cut, it doesn’t turn brown from oxidation. Okanagan Specialty Fruits , based in British Columbia, Canada, developed the product. The company wouldn’t say exactly where they’ll first be sold, but said the target is consumers interested in convenience. “The rapid expansion of the fresh cut industry – bagged carrots, ready-made salads – has led to explosive growth of fresh cut produce,” says Neal Carter, president of the company. “I can cut this up for my kid’s lunch box and I’ll slice up the apple and it doesn’t go brown and they’ll https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/why-you-ll-be-seeing-more-gmos-grocery-store 39 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 31 Jan 2017 15:46:00 +0000 Why You’ll Be Seeing More GMOs At The Grocery Store Amy Mayer The massive industry that supplies farmers with the tools to raise crops is on the brink of a watershed moment. High-profile deals that would see some of the largest global agri-chemical companies combine are in the works and could have ripple effects from farm fields to dinner tables across the globe. Six companies currently dominate the marketplace for agricultural seeds and farm chemicals, like fertilizer and pesticides: BASF, Bayer, DuPont, Dow, Monsanto and Syngenta. Of those, only BASF is not currently in discussions to merge. Dow and DuPont want to join forces and then spin off three separate companies, one of them dedicated to agriculture. Monsanto, currently the world’s largest seed company , has accepted an offer from Bayer. And China National Chemical Company, known as ChemChina , wants to purchase Syngenta. In some ways, the growth and consolidation of the agriculture industry is a common story of American business: growth snowballed until small companies become part of https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/seeds-pesticides-fertilizer-how-big-companies-harnessed-holy-trinity-modern-agriculture 85 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:33:00 +0000 Seeds, Pesticides, Fertilizer: How Big Companies Harnessed The ‘Holy Trinity’ Of Modern Agriculture Amy Mayer Five of the six biggest companies that produce and sell seeds and chemicals to the world’s farmers are pursuing deals that could leave a market dominated by just three giant, global companies. They say getting bigger means bringing more sophisticated and innovative solutions to farmers faster, but opponents say consolidation has irreversible downsides. Dow and DuPont want to merge and then spin off three separate companies, one of them dedicated to agriculture. Monsanto has accepted an offer from Bayer. And China National Chemical Company, known as ChemChina , wants to purchase Syngenta. Most Americans aren’t farmers. But these moves would trigger structural changes to the foundations of our food system and impact all Americans, whether or not they buy seeds, fertilizer or herbicides. Corporate political power Large companies can influence Congress, and some fear that the fewer companies there are in a given sector, the more likely they are to get their way. “Perhaps the biggest https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/why-you-should-care-about-big-ag-companies-getting-bigger 86 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 31 Oct 2016 14:34:00 +0000 Why You Should Care About ‘Big Ag’ Companies Getting Bigger editor Like most farmers, Mark Nelson, who grows corn, soybeans and wheat near Louisburg, Kan., is getting squeezed. He's paying three times more for seed than he used to, while his corn sells for less than half what it brought four years ago. "It's a – that's a challenge," Nelson says. "You're not going to be in the black, let's put it that way." Low commodity prices are rippling up and down the farm-economy food chain — from the farm to the boardroom — and it has many of the huge companies that control farm inputs looking to a new future. Most of the seeds and chemicals used to grow the world's crops come from just a handful of big companies, and the largest of those multinational companies — Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, DuPont, and Syngenta — are trying to get even bigger. The prospect of fewer, larger companies controlling so much of the basic food supply is giving some farmers and antitrust advocates heartburn. With massive supplies of the world's most important crops, like corn and soybeans, https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/farmers-antitrust-activists-are-worried-big-ag-only-getting-bigger 45 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 18 Oct 2016 22:44:00 +0000 Farmers, Antitrust Activists Are Worried That Big Ag Is Only Getting Bigger Grant Gerlock In a brightly-lit lab at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, workers with tweezers hunch over petri dishes scattered with sprouted sorghum seeds. Sorghum produces grain and also a sugary stalk. But this sorghum has a genetic tweak, explains plant scientist Tom Clemente. Instead of sugar, it’s engineered to make oil, which could be used to make fuel or chemicals. “You know if we can get oil in a stock of sorghum anywhere greater than 5 percent, that’s a winner,” Clemente says. “That’s a grand slam.” The genetically engineered sorghum could be a new source of biofuel and a new drought-resistant crop for farmers. But if the technology is going to ever reach the field, Clemente says it won’t come from a lab on campus. It will take a big seed company to carry it across the finish line, a company like Monsanto or Syngenta. Getting a new genetically modified plant to farms takes years of field trials and repetitive studies. The process is often too time-consuming and expensive for the public https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/new-genetically-modified-crops-push-old-regulations 120 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 11 Jul 2016 20:07:00 +0000 New Genetically Modified Crops Push Old Regulations Peggy Lowe (Updated Friday to note House support) The U.S. Senate late Thursday approved a bill that outlaws states’ efforts to put labels on food products made with genetically-modified organisms and instead gives companies more leeway in disclosing GMOs. The measure must still be passed by the U.S. House, which looks likely. But there are still lots of questions. Harvest Public Media has been watching this ongoing battle for more than a year and we have answers for the five big questions about this latest volley in this food fight. So, if this new bill is about national GMO labeling, everyone’s happy, right? No. Longtime supporters of GMO labeling want a mandatory requirement for on-package labeling and a strict national standard or definition of what a GMO is. This bill is less stringent than the Vermont law, giving companies three options for labeling: text on food packaging, a QR (Quick Response) code, or a phone number or a website with more information. Those opposed to this bill ( found https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/5-big-questions-about-us-senates-gmo-label-bill 121 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 08 Jul 2016 18:26:00 +0000 5 Big Questions About The U.S. Senate's GMO Label Bill Peggy Lowe On this sunny, summer morning in late June, Ronnie Russell is “windshield farming.” Driving from field to field in his Ford pick-up, he can see that his corn is about to tassel, his soybeans are mostly weed-free and white butterflies are floating above the alfalfa. All three crops, adding up to about 1,500 acres, are grown with genetically-engineered seeds, a technology Russell views as a boon to farming. “For me on my farm, it’s been a huge benefit,” he says. “When you look at the future of sustainability and being able to feed a hugely growing world, we’ve got to have ways and technology that we can utilize to improve. Because there’s no more land being made.” Since GE crops came on the U.S. market 20 years ago, use has skyrocketed, with 93 percent of soybeans and 85 percent of the corn crop planted in these seeds, according to the USDA . Russell says the new technology allows him and most American farmers to protect their crops from insects and weeds, preventing the losses their https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/midwest-farmers-fear-gmo-labels-will-stigmatize-products 123 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 01 Jul 2016 20:40:00 +0000 Midwest Farmers Fear GMO Labels Will Stigmatize Products Frank Morris One in every five calories people around the world eat, comes from just one grain, wheat. And for generations the U.S. led the world in wheat exports. But, that’s changed, and maybe for good. Wheat is not something you want to run out of. Wheat shortages helped spark the bloody French Revolution and the Arab Spring . But, out in western Kansas this year, there is plenty of wheat. Farmer John Thaemert wades into a rolling field of green, belly-high wheat stretching to the horizon. “You get it when it’s this tall, and you get a little breeze, it’s a pretty sight,” says Thaemert. “You know wheat is a pretty crop. It’s not all that profitable, but it is a pretty crop.” Across the Great Plains the wheat crop looks terrific, but prices are in the dirt. Wheat is trading at about half what it was this time 2 years ago, the lowest it’s been in a decade. Thaemert, and lots of other wheat farmers, are turning to alternative crops, like milo and alfalfa. “I’m probably growing 30% less wheat than https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/low-prices-foreign-oversupply-hurt-us-wheat-farmers 139 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 31 May 2016 15:27:00 +0000 Low Prices, Foreign Oversupply Hurt U.S. Wheat Farmers Jeremy Bernfeld There’s a heated debate happening right now about GMOs and labels. Big food companies like General Mills, Mars and Kellogg’s say they plan to put labels on their products that tell consumers whether or not the food contains ingredients derived from genetically engineered plants. So what’s the big deal? What are GMO labels, and what do they tell you? Watch the video below to get the full scoop on GMO labels. Here are three things you should know: 1. Think processed food GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. GMO labels would be slapped on food that contains ingredients made from plants that were genetically engineered. Many processed foods contain corn syrup, soybean, canola or cottonseed oil. Most of those crops grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered. Scientists can insert a gene into a variety of corn, for instance, to make it immune to a weedkiller, so when farmers spray their fields the weeds die but the corn doesn’t. 2. Don’t think safety or nutrition Some food and https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/watch-what-are-gmo-labels 151 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 20 Apr 2016 13:00:00 +0000 WATCH: What Are GMO Labels? Peggy Lowe The U.S. Senate rejected a bill Wednesday that would have outlawed states from mandating labels on foods with genetically-modified ingredients, leaving the issue in limbo as a state labeling law looms. The measure by Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, failed to get the 60 votes needed to move ahead, leaving the path open for Vermont’s mandatory labeling law to go into effect July 1. That was quickly applauded by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont. "I am pleased that Congress stood up to thedemands of Monsanto and other multi-national food industry corporationsandrejected this outrageous bill,” Sanders said in a statement. “Today’s vote was a victory for the American people over corporate interests.” But Roberts called it a vote against agriculture. He urged lawmakers to help protect farmers and ranchers who supply food to a “troubled” world. “Voting no today means telling your constituents next week that you are raising their grocery bill by over $1,000. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/gmo-label-issue-limbo-senate-fails-pass-bill-voluntary-system 164 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 16 Mar 2016 22:10:00 +0000 GMO Label Issue In Limbo As Senate Fails To Pass Bill With Voluntary System Luke Runyon https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-gmos 169 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 29 Feb 2016 21:02:00 +0000 What We Talk About When We Talk About GMOs Kristofor Husted Tucked away in a University of Missouri research building, a family of pigs is kept upright and mostly happy by a handful of researchers. Two new litters recently joined the assembly of pudgy, snorting, pink piglets. While they look like an ordinary collection of pigs one might find in hog barns all over the country, these animals are special. They’re genetically engineered and they are part of a new crop of GE animals with technology that could be coming soon to the food on your dinner plate. A team of researchers from the University of Missouri and Kansas State University developed the pigs, a new breed that is resistant to an incurable disease that plagues hogs barns. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRSS) can spread rapidly through swine populations and often forces hog farmers to euthanize whole barns at a time. The research team published their findings as a commentary in the journal Nature Biotechnology in December 2015. Research was partially funded by the company https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/genetically-engineered-animals-developed-missouri-could-be-coming-plate-near-you 193 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 02 Feb 2016 14:54:00 +0000 Genetically Engineered Animals Developed In Missouri Could Be Coming To A Plate Near You Grant Gerlock Wheat is one of the world’s staple foods and a big crop on the Great Plains, but it has been left in the dust. A corn farmer can grow 44 percent more bushels per acre than 30 years ago, but only 16 percent more wheat. That’s led many farmers to make a switch. “Wheat acres have been going down since 1981 or 1982 when they were up around 86 million acres,” said Steve Joehl, director of research with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). “I think last year we had a little over 56 million. It’s just a straight trend line down.” The U.S. used to be one of the top wheat producers in the world, but Joehl says that has been slipping. “We’ve lost share in world market from 16 to 8 percent of world wheat production.” Joehl says the way to turn that around is by revitalizing wheat research. NAWG is developing what is being called the National Wheat Action Plan . “We need more resources applied to breeding, breeding technology, soil health, fungicides, chemistry, weed control,” Joehl https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/midwest-wheat-farmers-are-waiting-breakthrough 202 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 04 Jan 2016 11:10:00 +0000 Midwest Wheat Farmers Are Waiting For A Breakthrough