Interesting ag biotech news from around the world this week includes the promotion of biotech crops by a farmer in Italy and improvements in Asian rice that could result in significant yield increases.

An Italian farmer fights for GM crops

Italian farmer Giorgio Fidenato is determined to promote the benefits of biotech crops, going so far as to plant GM corn on his farm, despite Italy’s moratorium on genetically modified seeds that was enacted in March. “Our biggest goal is to show consumers that it is safe to eat,” he says, in an Associated Press article.

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Science  journal Nature published editorials on the need for a second green revolution to eliminate world hunger by 2050 and how overregulation is slowing down a rice variety than can lower the risk of blindness in children, while the production of a biotech crop in India yields advantages for female employment opportunities and earnings.

“Second green revolution” necessary to eliminate world hunger

A second green revolution with a new focus in agricultural research will be needed to provide enough food for the world’s population in 2050, according to an editorial published by science journal Nature on July 28. In order to achieve a Green Revolution, we will need to invest in high-tech seeds and low-tech farming practices.  The editorial was part of Nature’s latest issue where the theme was food and agriculture. READ MORE »

This week we mourn the loss of climate scientist Dr. Stephen Schneider and share why science and technology, not ideology, should guide agricultural practices worldwide.

Climate warrior Stephen Schneider is dead at 65

Stephen H. Schneider, Ph.D., passed away on Monday, July 19.  He was an influential Stanford University climate scientist and wrote many books on the effects of climate change. He advised every Administration on climate policy since the 1970s and was passionate about educating the public about climate issues.

Dr. Stephen Schneider interviewed with CBI at the 2009 AAAS Meeting

We met Dr. Schneider at the 2009 AAAS Conference and filmed a video interview with him. In the interview Dr. Schneider shared that he believed agricultural biotechnology is an important part of the solution to helping farmers reduce their carbon emissions and combat the effects of climate change. View the video interview with Dr. Schneider.  READ MORE »

Want to learn more about ag biotech? Check out the stories below to read the news we thought was important this week!

 Supreme Court lifts the ban on GM Alfalfa Seeds

The Supreme Court decided to overturn a lower court’s ban on planting genetically modified alfalfa seeds on Monday, a sweeping victory for Monsanto Co. in what was the first ruling by the Supreme Court over genetically modified organism (GMO) crops. The ruling, a 7-1 decision, allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider a partial deregulation of alfalfa during the time when USDA is completing its Environmental Impact Statement, which is necessary before full deregulation of the genetically engineered alfalfa at issue in the case can occur.

 Expert says Australia should focus on wheat breeding technologies, including GM Wheat

At an International Grains Council Conference, Peter Reading, managing director of Australia’s Grains Research and Development Corporation said that Australia should focus its energies on wheat breeding technologies, including GM wheat, in order to address the decline rates in Australia’s wheat productivity growth.  However, GM wheat is not expected to be available for another ten years.

 Lack of communication between scientists and public, Jia Hepeng says

In a piece Thursday on how well scientists inform the public about food safety, Jia Hepeng said that China’s conflict over genetically modified crops can only be resolved through improved communication between scientists and the public. Citing events such as the Ministry of Agriculture’s announcement that it had issued biosafety licenses to two pest-resistant rice varieties and one phystaze maize, Hepeng calls for more refined, reader-friendly ways of presenting ongoing research on GM crops and better systems for decision-making, regulation, and monitoring.

The American Farm Bureau released an informal survey of young American farmers and ranchers  (18-35 years old) that shares information about young farmers’ attitudes towards the future of farming. Despite challenges such as the economy, 80 percent of young farmers surveyed say they are more optimistic than they were five years ago, and 96 percent of the respondents say they expect to be life-long farmers or ranchers.

The survey also asked about biotech crop use, and more than half of the young farmers (57 percent) intend to plant biotech crops this year, signaling that young farmers are in favor of agricultural biotechnology. These farmers and ranchers are also concerned about their carbon footprint, and 68 percent of those surveyed say that “balancing environmental and economic concerns is important for their operations.”

Young farmers are also overwhelmingly online, with nearly 99 percent saying they have access to and use the internet. Furthermore, young farmers actively participate in social media- nearly 75 percent of young farmers are members of Facebook, and 10 percent are on Twitter. Twelve percent of these farmers and ranchers said they post YouTube videos.