Foreign Policy: Consumers should support biotech research to fight poverty

Foreign Policy magazine calls on consumers to be “cosmovores”-cosmopolitan grocery shoppers-by embracing biotech research that can help farmers in low-income countries to increase the value of their crops and produce more on less land. The article says genetically modified (GM) crops have contributed to “significant, positive impacts on environmental and financial outcomes.” Read more.

Reuters: EU court calls French ban on GM maize illegal

According to Reuters, Europe’s highest court ruled that France illegally imposed a ban on genetically modified (GM) maize. The European Court of Justice said France did not have the authority to impose a ban on the growing of insect-resistant maize without demonstrating health or environmental risks. EU commissioned research has found no evidence of harm from GM crops.  Read more.  

Australian research on GM rice aims to prevent children with iron deficiency in developing countries

Tune in to ABC Radio National to find out about an Australian research team that has genetically modified (GM) rice to improve its iron content by 400%. The report features Dr. Alex Johnson, program leader at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, who says genetically modified rice will help developing countries suffering from iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia. Click here for a link to the broadcast.

U.S. Representative supports expediting approval process for Genetically Modified (GM) crops

According to The Commercial Appeal, Rep. Stephen Fincher from Tennessee has introduced a bill to streamline the approval process for GM crops, which he says are necessary to help feed a rapidly growing population.

The Expediting Agriculture Through Science (EATS) Act would require regulators to speed up the approval process for these advanced crops. “We need to streamline, make sure it’s a more thorough process, one that’s responsible, transparent and accountable,” Rep. Fincher said. Read more.

Gates Foundation funds GM rice to improve yields of African small farmers

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding the creation of GM rice to help Africa’s small farmers increase yields and withstand higher temperatures, BBC reports.

“Unfortunately these poor farmers are going to be facing warmer climates because of global warming so I think it is appropriate to employ whatever tools we can use that are safe and affordable for them,” Mr. Gates said.  “I absolutely think that, in some of those cases, genetic modification is how we will get them the new seeds.” Read more.

Mexican Ag Ministry approves planting of GM corn for economic benefits

According to Reuters, Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry approved the country’s first pilot program for planting genetically modified (GM) corn because it will help the agriculture economy.  “It is necessary to advance the use of biotechnology to reduce imports and promote national production,” the ministry statement said. Farmers in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, where the pilot program will take place, say GM corn will benefit them because it is “higher yielding and more disease resistant.” Read more.

Ugandan scientists testing GM bananas with potential to resist crop disease

Scientists in Uganda believe that genetically modified bananas could help overcome a disease that is devastating the country’s staple food crop, The Guardian reports. The article says that, “laboratory tests on the genetically modified bananas have been highly promising” with six out of eight strains of the GM bananas proving to be 100% resistant to the disease that has threatened the livelihoods of millions of farmers.

According to Dr. Leena Tripathi, a plant biotechnologist at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), “The beauty of the genetic engineering is that you can be very precise,” Read more.

Bangladeshi farmers adopting GM rice for nutritional benefits

According to the United Nations news service, scientists from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute are testing zinc-rich rice varieties with the goal of mass producing a GM crop within the next five years. Rice, the staple crop of Bangladesh, naturally contains low levels of iron, so farmers in field trials are producing GM rice with high zinc content “to control abnormalities like stunting, poor immune response and pregnancy complications” which can result from too little iron. Read more.