A scandal is erupting that threatens to undermine claims of extraordinary risk from genetically engineered crops. An Italian research group run by Professor Federico Infascelli at the University of Naples "Federico II" has just had a peer-reviewed paper forcibly retracted…
Read More Italian research group subject of data fabrication probe
Written by Michael Dzakovich Each day, 20,000 people die from malnutrition. Many die simply because they do not have enough calories - they starve to death. Others die due to lack of vitamins in their food. As the poorest people…
What if premium coffee, gourmet chocolate, fine California wine, bananas, or not-from-concentrate orange juice become costly or scarce? Would that matter to you?
Written by Steve Savage There is an interesting new "GMO" apple nearing approval in the US and in Canada called the "Arctic Apple." It was developed by a British Columbia, grower-based organization called Okanagan Specialty Fruit. Certain genes in these apples…
Read More Will Organic Apples be re-defined as “Contaminated?”
Written by Steve Savage Rogue wheat is growing in wheat fields in 127 countries around the world! Should consumers be concerned? Ok, I'm indulging in a poor imitation of the emotive language common in sensational writings about food issues. What…
Written by Jonas Kathage The issue of pest resistance to insect resistant Bt crops receives regular media attention, partly because anti-biotechnology lobbies use it as an argument to vilify GM crops. The German NGO testbiotech, in a recently published report…
Written by Steve Savage Last week, environmentalist Mark Lynas presented an articulate and painfully honest apology for his significant role in starting the anti-GMO movement in the 1990s. He said that it was the most successful campaign in which he has ever…
Years ago, environmental activist and author Mark Lynas campaigned against genetically engineered crops, sometimes ripping them up with his own hands. But in a speech given at the 2013 Oxford Farming Conference on January 3rd, he apologized for these actions,…
Written by Steve Savage Unfortunately, junk science can be generated by people with agendas, and the editorial process does not always prevent it from getting the undeserved legitimacy of publication. In extreme cases the legitimate scientific community responds, but can…
Read More Can the Damage from Agenda-driven Junk Science be Undone?
Drought across the United States has reduced substantially the expected yield of corn and soybean fields for the fall 2012 U.S. harvests. With reduced yield, prices have risen rapidly for these crops that are widely-used food and feed ingredients, huge…
