http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles.aspxFood Security and AgBiotech Newsen{36DC1665-D369-4AAF-A3C6-84B129D390DB}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/03/b.aspxThe Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) has unveiled a new 10-year strategic plan to help Africa achieve almost 90 percent self-sufficiency in rice by 2020. Despite significant increases in rice production in several African countries over the last few years, the press release reports that the continent still imports nearly 40 percent of its rice requirements, which makes it highly exposed to international market shocks. But with the productivity-enhancing research and development (R&D) activities presented in its new strategy, AfricaRice envisions that rice production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will increase from 18.4 million tons in 2010 to 46.8 million tons by 2020. The strategic plan articulates seven research-for-development (R4D) priority areas, including: 1) conserving rice genetic resources and providing smallholder farmers with climate-resilient rice varieties that are better adapted to production environments and consumer preferences; and 2) improving rural livelihoods by closing yield gaps and through sustainable intensification and diversification of rice-based systems. The R4D strategy will be implemented mainly under the umbrella of the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), a CGIAR research program, in close collaboration with a broad range of partners, including the national programs in Africa through the recently revamped Africa-wide Rice Task Forces. In line with a “major shift in focus of the Center’s strategy from supply-driven research to more demand- or market-driven research,” the press release says that research outputs will be integrated in “Rice Sector Development Hubs” (good practice areas) to achieve the greatest impact. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:01:00 -0500{ACBCC91C-3EE8-4140-B52C-B05BF773CBB0}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/03/a.aspxThis article says that although a Bt variety of the popular Indian cotton Bikaneri Narma (BN) was released in India in 2009 with much fanfare – as the first "completely indigenous Bt variety" – the variety was withdrawn from the market after one season. The article says that the reasons given were poor performance of the seed and reports of "contamination.” But the article claims on the basis of unnamed documents obtained by Down to Earth that fuller details are now emerging. According to the article, the BN Bt cotton variety was supposed to contain the transgenic event BNLA 106 event (which specifies the specific location of the insertion of the Bt gene). The BNLA 106 event was developed by the University of Agricultural Sciences-Dharwad (UAS-D) and the Indian Agriculture Research Institute’s (ICAR’s) National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB), under ICAR's National Agricultural Technology Project. But, claims the article, “it transpires” that the main reason the Bt BN seeds were withdrawn was the “widespread presence” of MON 531, the genetic event that is the intellectual property of Monsanto, and which is most widely used in the Bt varieties available in India. The article says it is unclear whether the MON 531 event was present as the result of accident or of fraud. But it claims that evidence of this “contamination,” and of poor performance, was available for years before the commercial release of Bt BN but was “glossed over” by ICAR. When contacted, the article says that the scientists involved in the project said that an inquiry is underway and that therefore it would be improper to make any comment. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:58:00 -0500{7F6A71EC-406D-454B-B96B-030BAB69FDD4}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/02/c.aspxA new book entitled Reshaping Agriculture for Nutrition and Health explores the links among agriculture, nutrition, and health and identifies ways to strengthen related policies and programs. The chapters in the book were written by “leading experts, practitioners, and policymakers.” They were originally commissioned as background papers or policy briefs for the conference “Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition and Health,” facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute’s 2020 Vision Initiative in February 2011 in New Delhi, India. The press release says there is a need for closer collaboration across the sectors of agriculture, nutrition, and health, which have long operated in separate spheres with little recognition of how their actions affect each other. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:00 -0500{74DD17AE-EB0E-4420-911C-5FD0078069A5}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/02/a.aspxDanish EU diplomats have proposed a compromise deal under which biotechnology companies would be allowed to sell genetically modified (GM) seeds for commercial cultivation in some EU countries if they agree to avoid sales into the countries that want to ban them. The compromise is designed to break a deadlock in talks among member states on a draft proposal made by the European Commission in 2010, which would allow member states to decide individually whether or not to ban GM cultivation. "We are working on it. There is a blocking minority on the GMO proposals, and we are trying to do our utmost to find a solution and get agreement among member states," said a spokesman for the Danish EU presidency. Under the Danish plan, companies seeking EU approval to cultivate a GM crop would agree in advance not to market the product in those countries that do not want to grow it and in return would gain authorization to grow the crops elsewhere in Europe. The article says it is unclear whether the Danish compromise will be enough to overcome opposition to the Commission’s proposal from countries including France, which has said it wants to tighten the EU's risk assessment of GM crops before discussing the plans. Other countries including Spain and Germany have raised concerns that the proposal would fragment the EU's single market by banning farmers in some EU countries from growing GM crops, while allowing others to press ahead. The article says that Britain, meanwhile, is unlikely to support part of the Danish compromise that would allow countries to ban cultivation on environmental grounds, for example to prevent the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds - a move backed by EU lawmakers. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:03:00 -0500{B1836F81-C7B9-4F43-9FA7-DBE1B7DCD4D1}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/02/a.aspxChina’s cabinet, the State Council, has said in its first policy document of the year that it will increase investment and subsidies for agricultural technology and innovation this year, to stabilize grain production. The State Council said in the document that the government will encourage research focused on areas including biotechnology, seed production, and effective use of farmland, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The document also said that the government will seek to push banks to increase lending to rural areas and keep prices of agricultural commodities at "a reasonable level." The article says agriculture experts had expected the State Council to set guidelines on seed cultivation and on implementing a program of promoting the application of genetically modified (GM) technology that was introduced in 2008. [According to a related article (Bloomberg; February 2), Chen Xiwen, deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group under the State Council, said at a press conference in Beijing that China has not approved large-scale commercialization of GM grain seeds and will not produce GM crops this year. The nation has no corn shortage and imported the grain last year to balance supply and demand made difficult by geographical issues, Chen said.] The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:01:00 -0500{ED64D2FF-1590-46F5-888B-BAF0710F3099}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/01/b.aspxUnder a new memorandum of understanding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) office of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Biotechnology Regulatory Services (APHIS/BRS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have agreed to share with each other information about genetically modified (GM) plants and the foods derived from such plants. The press release says that the agreement will support and encourage cooperation and communication between the USDA, the EPA, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the regulation of GM crops and food. (All three U.S. federal agencies are involved in GM regulation.) Information that will be shared between the USDA’s APHIS/BRS and the EPA include non-public information exempt from public disclosure -- usually referred to as “confidential business information” and/or “trade secrets.” The notification, which was published in the U.S. Federal Register, can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:16:00 -0500{236B2A62-ABD6-4513-B5BE-55E14F440779}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/feb/01/a.aspxThe U.K. government should show leadership over the issue of genetically modified (GM) crops and be more prepared to explain the potential benefits of modern technology, Peter Kendall, the president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), has said. The recent decision by BASF to move its GM plant development operations away from Europe is "profoundly worrying" for U.K. agriculture, Kendall said during an address to the University of Reading's Agricultural Club conference on January 30. This development means not only a loss of jobs, but that future investment will be made in crop types that were not specific to European climate and conditions, said Kendall. "We are living a lie on GM and the press gets away with demonising the technology . . . We have [had] to explain that drought tolerant potatoes aren't going to poison people,” he said. Unless attitudes change, Kendall said there is a risk that U.K. farmers will be left "20 years off the pace" while consumers still end up eating GM products imported from abroad. Kendall's warning came just days after the U.K. government's chief scientific adviser said GM crops could play an important role in helping prevent a future global food crisis. Sir John Beddington said he sees no safety reasons for opposing GM crops, provided they are rigorously checked for their impact on health and the environment. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:12:00 -0500{5248DD1B-1C1F-44C0-97ED-03774491DB3F}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/31/c.aspxThe Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FBAE) and the Association of Biotechnology-Led Enterprises (ABLE) in India will hold a February 27 conference in Bangalore, India on “Biotechnology crops for food security in India.” The conference will discuss: ways to overcome threats to food security threats; new trends in agricultural biotechnology; genetically modified (GM) crops for India; and biotechnology regulation, including legal provisions and conflict resolution. “[The p]opulation of the country is projected to be about 160 crore [1.6 billion] by 2050 and increasing incomes and increasing per capita food consumption is widening the yield-demand gap,” FABE said in a statement. It was stated that India needs to adopt newer agricultural technologies such as genetic engineering to cope with this growing challenge. “The moratorium [in India] on Bt brinjal and delay in functionalizing [the] Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India are results of opposition by anti-technology activists. This is keeping us away from benefiting from biotech,” FBAE said. The event notification is available online at the link below.Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:29:00 -0500{D8EC395D-B045-4136-A074-5F85DC446D9A}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/31/b.aspxThe 270,000-member Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association in the U.S. has filed a class action law suit against Monsanto -- asking that the company be prevented from suing association members for patent infringement if its genetically modified (GM) plants are found on members’ farms. In a written statement, Monsanto spokesman Thomas Helscher said, "Monsanto never has and never will sue a farmer if our patented seed or traits are found in his field as a result of inadvertent means.” Gianni Ortiz, founder and director of FarmAssist Productions, a nonprofit advocacy group for small farms, says she is aware of nearly 900 court cases in which Monsanto won damages from farmers because their crops included GM plants patented by Monsanto. Ortiz does not deny that Monsanto products have been used illegally by some farmers, but she says organic farmers have a compelling financial reason not to do so, since if GM content were detected it would mean the loss of a farmer’s organic certification. Ortiz says that one case Monsanto did not win involved a non-organic Canadian farmer. “There was truckload of GMO seed going from ’Point A’ to ‘Point B.’ The tarp came off the top of the truck and their seed blew into his field, and they went after him for years. They are very aggressive," she says. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:26:00 -0500{21F054BA-6B3A-42E9-A2A2-64D20FACF1E9}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/31/a.aspxThe U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded a five-year, US$4.5 million grant to Arcadia Biosciences to develop salt tolerant rice for Bangladesh and to conduct field trials to measure greenhouse gas emissions from Nitrogen Use Efficient (NUE) crops in Indonesia. Salt water intrusion is a huge problem in Bangladesh, where salinity reduces crop productivity on an estimated 1 million hectares. It is hoped that salt tolerant rice will help farmers deal with the problem. Meanwhile, the press release says that Arcadia’s NUE technology, which enables crops to produce high yields using “significantly less” fertilizer, can have a major positive impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. (The use of nitrogen fertilizer contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.) The press release says that the company and its technology licensees have demonstrated in more than 20 field trials in five crops and multiple growing regions that NUE technology can significantly reduce fertilizer use while maintaining high yields. Arcadia’s measurement of greenhouse gas emissions will help refine methodologies that could allow farmers to gain carbon credits from reduced fertilizer use. According to the press release, Arcadia’s activities will contribute to Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative. Julie Howard of USAID says, “We are facing the huge global challenge of feeding a world population that is expected to increase by one-third by the year 2050 . . . That means finding innovative ways to increase crop production on less land in an unpredictable climate. USAID is proud to work with partners like Arcadia and agricultural scientists in developing countries as we strive, together, to contribute to the growth and resilience of the food supply of tomorrow.” The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:23:00 -0500{B22FDEAE-F8CD-4D44-B59C-F246FA1934A4}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/30/c.aspxThe Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and the National Research Council will co-sponsor an upcoming Scientific Summit on the Management of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds, to take place May 10 in Washington, DC. The article says that herbicide resistant weeds represent a costly and growing problem threatening crop production across the U.S. and around the globe. The meeting aims to counter herbicide resistance by development and practice of integrated weed management programs that would incorporate a variety of other methods. The goal of this approach is to preserve crop yields as well as herbicide effectiveness and the sustainability of the agricultural production systems. More information is available online at the link below.Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:27:00 -0500{4FA74423-B67B-4A28-B6BE-C967B8D9EF73}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/30/b.aspxTwo bills in the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington would require labels on genetically modified (GM) food, this article reports. GM food is currently not required to be labeled in the U.S. Senate Bill 6298 and House Bill 2637 would require "clear and conspicuous" notification of genetic modification on raw and processed agricultural products. Agricultural products that are not among are not among a list of foods for which there is a commercialized GM variety available (alfalfa, canola, corn, papaya, soy, sugar beets, zucchini, and yellow summer squash) would be exempt from the requirements. Reflecting on a hearing before the Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee, Senator Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said a common theme among many who supported the labeling bills was that their testimony "wasn't about a labeling bill, but about some people's opposition to GMOs." "Certified organic [already] meets the needs of customers who oppose GMO," Schoesler said. But the article says that for some who testified, that is not enough. Organic farmer Steve Halstrom said the essence of the legislation is it "will allow people to know what they're eating." The article can be viewed online at the link below.Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:23:00 -0500{E333E097-3911-41A3-80E4-E093540579D4}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/30/a.aspxA new policy paper from India’s National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) puts forward recommendations and an action plan for the safe, inclusive and judicious harnessing of genetic modification (GM) technologies to promote accelerated and sustained crop production. According to this article, the NAAS paper critically examines current biosafety issues within India, and prospects for benefiting from GM technology. The paper concludes that GM technology is a powerful tool for developing future crop varieties with in-built resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses, enhanced input use efficiency, increased yields, and quality traits. GM crops are crucial for India’s food and nutritional security, the paper argues, and research must continue on developing safer, more productive, and nutritious food crops. The article notes that the NAAS paper follows the release in December 2010 of an "Inter-Academy Report on GM Crops," produced by six top science academies in India, which endorsed the safety of Bt brinjal and which recommended its limited release. Bt brinjal would have become the first GM food crop to be commercialized in India, but in February 2010 then Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh placed a moratorium on its commercialization. The policy paper, entitled Biosafety Assurance for GM Food Crops in India, is available online at the link below.Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:19:00 -0500{AFD5BAEB-5D9A-420A-ABF9-3D9CB51F6F12}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/27/c.aspxThe government of the Canadian state of Saskatchewan has awarded a record CAD$8.3 million (US$8.3 million) in funding for 34 crop-related research projects. Projects that will receive funding this year include: 1) work to improve yields and disease-resistance in wheat, barley, and flax; 2) research aimed at increasing lentil yields and marketability through fertilization and genetic analysis; and 3) a project targeted at reducing yield losses in pulse (a.k.a. legume) crops due to drought. "As the world population grows, research will be more important than ever to ensuring our producers have the tools they need to continue meeting the demands for safe, reliable agriculture products, both at home and abroad," said Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister, Bob Bjornerud. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:36:00 -0500{ADE93B48-0B26-4ECF-B18C-D9AFCE39A1B4}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/27/b.aspxThe Kenya-based African Agricultural Technology (AATF) and the Commission of the African Union (AU) have officially agreed to work together on matters related to agricultural technology access and transfer, stewardship, intellectual property, regulatory matters, and public/private partnerships for agricultural development, this press release reports. AATF and the AU Commission will also identify and promote national, sub-regional, and regional partnerships to enhance the effectiveness and impact of agricultural technology transfer. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on January 23. The signing ceremony was attended by both Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the chief executive officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and Rhoda Tumusiime Peace, the AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture. According to the press release, AATF facilitates access and delivery of affordable agricultural technologies for use by smallholder farmers in Africa. It is currently involved in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Current projects being coordinated by AATF include: Striga control in maize; development of insect-resistant cowpea; improvement of banana for resistance to banana bacterial wilt; biological control of aflatoxin; development of drought tolerance in maize; and development of nitrogen-use efficient, water-use efficient and salt tolerant rice varieties for use by smallholder farmers. More information is available online at the link below.Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:33:00 -0500{B70CE442-4AF1-4A57-8793-DD1F7BC10316}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/27/a.aspxThe National Science Foundation (NSF) in the U.S. has awarded US$1.3 million for a project focused on the eventual development of a maize that will need less fertilizer. Ivan Baxter, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research scientist and an assistant member of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, will the lead the research effort. He will be joined by researchers at the University of Minnesota, Purdue University, and Cornell University, all in the U.S. The project, entitled “Mineral Nutrient Gene Discovery and Gene X Environment Interactions in Maize,” will use Nested Association Mapping (NAM) to identify genes controlling the elemental composition of maize. Baxter says that the project will take advantage of a USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) laboratory, located at the Danforth Center, that has the capability to “rapidly analyze large genetic populations of the diverse staple crop with the statistically powerful resource of Nested Association Mapping.” Baxter’s research will identify how different genes interact with mineral nutrients and toxic elements present under various soil conditions, to create a better understanding how soil environments play a role in the gene expression. The ultimate aim is to use this information to produce a more nutritious crop that can grow in more environments while using less fertilizer, thereby preserving the environment. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:32:00 -0500{69A66374-1A02-4388-BE24-F51352204F58}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/26/c.aspxBill Gates’ annual letter for 2012 focuses on agriculture and food security. According to Gates: “Right now, just over 1 billion people—about 15 percent of the people in the world—live in extreme poverty. On most days, they worry about whether their family will have enough food to eat. There is irony in this, since most of them live and work on farms. The problem is that their farms, which tend to be just a couple acres in size, don’t produce enough food for a family to live on.” Gates urges the world to spend more to help them. "We can help poor farmers sustainably increase their productivity so they can feed themselves and their families. But that will only happen if we prioritize agricultural innovation," he argues. Gates reports that in total, only US$3 billion per year is spent on researching the seven most important crops -- including US$1.5 billion spent by countries, US$1.2 billion by private companies, and US$300 million by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Says Gates: “Even though the CGIAR money is only 10 percent of the spending, it is critical because it focuses on the needs of poor countries. Very little of the country and private spending goes toward the priorities of small farmers in Africa or South Asia.” The letter can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:01:00 -0500{B0222F34-E9FF-4441-ADF1-27922E3F4642}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/26/b.aspxBillionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has argued that genetic engineering should have a place alongside more conventional plant breeding methods. Speaking on the BBC’s Today program, Gates said, “Some of the work we [The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation] are doing to create new seeds involves GM techniques, but a lot of it does not. What we end up with is a set of products with which African countries can decide what they want to used . . . It’s a little bit like using [medical] drugs; you have to have scientists look at the risks. If the risk is very low and it can prevent starvation, then the tool may go into use.” [According to a related news story (Boston.com; January 25), Gates has said he finds it ironic that most people who oppose genetic engineering live in rich nations that he believes are responsible for global climate change that will lead to more starvation and malnutrition for the poor. The article says that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has spent about US$2 billion in the past five years to fight poverty and hunger in Africa and Asia, and much of that money has gone toward improving agricultural productivity. In a press release (CFS; January 25), the Center for Food Safety, a non-governmental organization in the U.S., “pushed back” against Gates. Andrew Kimbrell, the center’s executive director, said: "The biotech industry has exploited the image of the world's poor and hungry to advance a form of agriculture that is expensive, input-intensive, and of little or no relevance to developing country farmers . . . It's long past time that the Gates Foundation redirect its investments in biotech companies like Monsanto, and its funding of dead-end GE [genetically engineered] crop projects, to promote agroecological techniques with a proven record of increasing food production in developing countries."] The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:59:00 -0500{A54B9C40-71CD-414E-BECA-DEA627848D75}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/26/a.aspxThe first year of trials of genetically modified (GM) barley designed for salt tolerance have been a success, according to the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG), which is conducting the trials. ACPFG researcher Stuart Roy has said that in low-salt areas, the GM barley yielded 20 to 30 percent more than non-GM barley while in high-salt areas, yields were up 50 to 70 percent higher. Roy said that the aim of the trial was to test whether the ACPFG’s most advanced and promising lines work in the field. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:57:00 -0500{0ED91E91-2E4D-4270-A879-C49401656F70}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/25/c.aspxThis report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) argues that German society “remains conflicted” about plant biotechnology, and this, it says, is reflected in mixed government policies and messaging. No foods labeled as “GMO‟ are sold in Germany, biotech test plots are routinely destroyed by vandals, and farmers and churches have instituted biotech free-zones, says the report. The German government has also banned the planting of some EU-approved genetically modified (GM) crops. At the same time, the report says Germany is home to world-class companies that develop and supply biotech seeds globally. And Germany’s voting record in the EU on approving new GM varieties has been largely positive. Germany is also a major consumer of imported GM animal feed. The report can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:27:00 -0500{DE0CAB3B-28FC-4321-A66F-3F3BB8583281}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/25/b.aspxThis news item describes work at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, which is focused on preparing tissue cultures of various banana species. Tissue culture is described as an “old-fashioned biotechnology.” The news item says that it has already become common in Asia and Latin America but is only beginning to take root in much of Africa. In Kenya, only about 5 percent of banana acreage was under tissue-culture cultivation in 2006, according to the Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International (A Harvest Biotech). A Harvest Biotech projected at that time, however, that the area would to as much as 40 percent of total cultivation by 2016. The news item is excerpted from a recently book by Alan Bjerga, entitled Endless Appetites: How the Commodities Casino Creates Hunger and Unrest. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:24:00 -0500{2C68510E-14F1-4743-A112-FFEE2E4A1031}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/25/a.aspxThis article profiles five developments that it says are among a recent wave of investments and positive news in African agriculture. Firstly, Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University in the U.S., has said that Ghana is on track to achieve “most, if not all” of the Millennium Development Goals – including halving poverty by 2015. Secondly, Rwanda has received US$13 million in funding from the World Bank for agricultural developments. AllAfrica.com reported this month that the funding will be devoted to increasing the productivity and commercialization in hillside agriculture in targeted areas. Thirdly, Sofitex, the biggest cotton company in Burkina Faso, secured a US$151 million loan from 10 local lenders to finance crop purchases in the 2011-12 harvest, according to the company’s CEO, Jean Paul Sawadogo. Fourthly, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has announced it will partner with Texas A&M University’s Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture in U.S. to promote African agricultural research, extension, and education. And fifthly, Tanzania is reported to have approved 26 new seed varieties for planting, including varieties with resistance to drought and diseases. Some of the seeds are also said to have shorter maturing periods and increased yields of two to three times those of other commercialized varieties. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:22:00 -0500{6B51D5A4-EA1D-4E80-BAE7-2ED5BCD5FC70}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/24/c.aspxCooperatives and producer organizations will be increasingly important in efforts to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty around the world, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva has said. Graziano da Silva, whbo took the helm of the FAO less than one month ago, was attending the 2012 Thematic Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, an annual gathering of non-governmental organizations and social movements. The UN has declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives, Graziano da Silva said, reflecting a renewed interest in, and the need for greater awareness of, the multi-faceted value of cooperatives. The press release says experience has shown that, when empowered by membership in a larger group, smallholder farmers and other producers can negotiate better terms in contracts, and lower prices for agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizer, and fishing gear. They can reduce risks and gain enough influence to secure land rights and better market opportunities. In 2011, more than 180 FAO programs and projects helped to build and strengthen the capacities of producer organizations, cooperatives, and local community groups to reach their organizational goals. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:54:00 -0500{F9E57C6B-0868-4D2F-BBA3-C1A910BF6C67}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/24/b.aspxA three-year feeding study has shown no adverse health effects in pigs fed genetically modified (GM) Bt maize, this press release reports. The pig feeding study was conducted as part of the GMSAFOOD consortium’s “post market” monitoring of GM crops. This post-market monitoring has involved long term, generational, and food chain studies to test the safety of GM food. The GMSAFOOD consortium is funded by the European Commission and brings together researchers from Austria, Ireland, Norway, Hungry, Turkey, and Australia. Results from the feeding study and findings from other GMSAFOOD research teams will be presented at the GMSAFOOD conference in Vienna, Austria on March 6-8 2012. Studies that will be presented on at the conference include: 1) salmon feeding trials (Norway); 2) investigation of protracted allergenic response in mice feeding trials (Austria); and 3) food chain trials where rats were fed pork and fish that had been raised on Bt-maize (Norway and Hungary). The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:47:00 -0500{FEFFC93C-B2EB-4CEE-981C-5C22A356FBDE}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/24/a.aspxThe African continent is “poised for incredible progress,” Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said recently during a speech at U.S. Senator Chris Coons' "Opportunity: Africa" conference. Shah said that at least a dozen nations in Africa have expanded by more than 6 percent a year for at least six years. “Trade between Africa and the rest of the world has increased by 200 percent over the last decade. And in 2010, foreign direct investment was more than $55 billion-five times what it was a decade earlier,” said Shah. Despite opportunities for American investment in Africa, Shah said the U.S. been “far surpassed” by China in this area: “In the last decade, China's trade and investment in Africa grew by 1,000 percent-and its growth outpaced that of the U.S. by over 100 percent last year.” The U.S. government, however, is committed to making Africa a humanitarian and investment priority, said Shah. In 2012, President Obama requested US$7.8 billion for Africa – a 10 percent increase over the last year and a 400 percent increase over the last decade. USAID has also instituted USAID Forward, an “aggressive development reform effort” to bring a greater focus on “partnerships, innovation, and-above all-meaningful results.” According to Shah, high impact public-private partnerships are a cornerstone of USAID Forward. For example, USAID is partnering with the Gates Foundation and Dupont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred to develop nitrogen use efficient maize. Pointing to the advantages of working with the private sector, Shah said that Dupont has the ability to transform maize at high efficiency – at nearly 100 times the public sector. “By partnering together, we are able to reach more smallholder famers-helping them dramatically improve yields with less fertilizer,” he said. The text of Shah’s speech is available online at the link below.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:44:00 -0500{D2D71AE8-CDF8-4A2D-A9D6-4FC19936EB39}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/23/c.aspxThe Indian central government has granted permission for the country’s Rubber Board to conduct field trials of genetically modified (GM) rubber trees, but getting permission from state governments is proving to be more of a problem, this article reports. The Rubber Board had applied to conduct field trials in the Indian states of Kerala and Maharashtra. Two successive administrations in Kerala have refused permission, however. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has formed a committee to study the issue. The Rubber Board has expressed confidence that it will eventually receive a favorable reply from Maharashtra. According to the article, India is the first country to successfully develop GM rubber trees. The Rubber Board hopes that the trees can be used to increase productivity. In Malaysia, which is India’s competitor in rubber production, rubber trees require just five years before they can be tapped, the article says. But because of different climatic conditions in Kerala, conventional rubber trees require eight years before they can begin producing. The Rubber Board has said that their GM rubber trees would reduce the time to five years. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:06:00 -0500{2D02FFBC-6616-4F06-89ED-2776675F609E}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/23/b.aspxResearchers at Cornell University in the U.S. hope to soon begin field trials of genetically modified (GM) orange trees that are designed to be able to resist the Asian citrus psyllids, an insect that carries bacteria responsible for citrus greening, or huanglongbing. Plant pathologists Kerik Cox and Herb Aldwinkle began their work by identifing a handful of naturally occurring insecticides. Technicians used genetic engineering to insert the insecticidal genes individually and in groups into tomato plants. The plants were then exposed to tomato psyllids, insects that are closely related to Asian citrus psyllids. Some lines successfully resisted the tomato pests, and the most promising genes were inserted into Hamlin orange plants. The researchers are now awaiting the receipt of permits to begin field trials in the U.S. state of Florida. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:03:00 -0500{D4F6E77A-675C-41A5-9329-3CC035B079F2}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/23/a.aspxThe Israeli agricultural biotechnology company Rosetta Green is developing genetically modified (GM) that can better withstand severe drought stress, this article reports. In an experiment, researchers at the company irrigated both GM tobacco plants and non-GM plants with salt water with triple the salinity of seawater. Both groups of plants were subsequently returned to regular irrigation conditions. The researchers found that the GM plants recovered from the severe stress and continued to grow whereas the non-GM plants wilted completely. Rosetta Green’s chief operating officer, Amir Avniel, said, “the frequent droughts afflicting the world in recent years and the motivation to expand to arid lands containing brackish water require the development of plant varieties resistant to drought and irrigation with salt water.” Avniel said, “This experiment is another step in the company’s progress towards production of improved plants that will provide farmers with excellent yield even in drought conditions, and allow the growth of crops in wide areas that are currently unsuitable due to soil salinity and weather conditions.” Rosetta Green’s business model involves licensing their technology to large seed companies that would then be responsible for commercializing the technology. The company’s GM tobacco plants were developed using microRNA technology. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:59:00 -0500{D27546A0-3D7C-464F-AF63-00476A6B6364}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/20/c.aspxMonsanto Company has purchased a partial stake in RaNA Therapeutics, a company that is developing a technology platform to enable selective activation of specific genes by targeting a type of regulatory RNA called long non-coding RNA. According to the press release, RaNA Therapeutics was founded based on technology developed in the laboratory of Scientific Founder Jeannie T. Lee, and is exclusively licensed from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Lee, an investigator at the hospital, and co-workers discovered a large number of long non-coding RNA regions that interact with a regulatory complex called PRC2. They showed that it is possible to activate single gene expression by specifically blocking this interaction. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:30:00 -0500{6039896B-283C-4762-897B-D7F61778E6BB}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/20/b.aspxDow AgroSciences LLC, which is based in the U.S., and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Ecology (IME) have agreed to collaborate on multiple projects to develop novel biotechnology approaches to improve and enhance crops. Daniel R. Kittle, global leader for Research & Development at Dow AgroSciences said, "This significant agreement with Fraunhofer IME allows Dow AgroSciences' researchers to work with some of the best teams of scientists in the world to improve plant biotechnology and deliver improved products to our customers." Rainer Fischer, Senior Executive Director of Fraunhofer IME, meanwhile, called Dow AgroSciences “one of the key players in modern agriculture" and said, "This collaboration will enable us to develop some of our most advanced technologies into innovative solutions for global needs and demands." Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:27:00 -0500{143FE1FF-452C-4F7F-9527-02D4CF6144FD}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/20/a.aspxThe Howard G. Buffett Foundation has announced a partnership with Texas A&M University’s Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture in the U.S., to support agricultural research in Africa and for Africa. The Buffet Foundation has created the Ukulima Farm Research Center in South Africa as a platform for organizations and researchers to develop technology and practices to advance African agriculture. Commenting on the creation of Ukulima Farm, Foundation president Howard G. Buffett said, "Our goal was to create a real-world field space at a sufficient scale where scientists and farmers can work together to fight hunger in Africa." Said Buffet: "I have traveled extensively across Africa and have seen the degraded soils, the lack of access to quality inputs, the inefficient market systems, and the underdeveloped agricultural support systems that contribute to keeping 239 million Africans hungry. Ukulima Farm and this collaboration is a direct response to these needs.” On the new partnership with the Borlaug Institute, Buffet said, "We feel that the Borlaug Institute has the research expertise and the international experience required to lead this effort and realize the full potential of Ukulima." The Borlaug Institute will oversee a long-term strategy that will focus research activities in cooperation with African scientists from universities and research centers in the region. Other partners in the effort include the International Center for Wheat and Maize Improvement (CIMMYT), based in Mexico, and Pennsylvania State University, the University of Missouri, and ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization), all based in the U.S. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:24:00 -0500{E7A9DBE0-0114-40FB-8655-B29D64A27616}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/19/c.aspxNew discoveries by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) add significantly to the existing body of knowledge on corn's stress-coping mechanisms, and set the stage for novel approaches to improving the grain crop's insect and disease resistance, this press release reports. In one study, USDA researchers identified defensive compounds, known as zealexins and kauralexins, which rapidly accumulate at fungal infection sites, impeding the microbes' continued spread. In another study, the researchers discovered a new protein signal in corn, called ZmPep1, which alerts the plant to fungal intruders and helps mobilize a timely counterattack. The studies have been published in the journals Plant Physiology and The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:45:00 -0500{3E775382-0B4F-46A0-8799-285719C4E8EA}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/19/b.aspxResearchers at the University of Missouri in the U.S. have identified a key process in plants' immune system response that may help future crops fight disease, this article reports. Their study has been accepted for publication in the journal Science. Walter Gassmann and his colleagues at the university studied Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant commonly used in research. They “discovered that a protein within the plant known as Enhanced Disease Susceptibility 1 (EDS1) not only plays a key role in the plant's defense but also contributes to the direct recognition of disease agents,” Gassman says. “Arabidopsis has a widely known genetic structure, and its bacterial pathogens share many tactics with other pathogens such as fungal rusts and mildews. So, if we can translate Arabidopsis' immune response to other plants, we could eventually help crops, such as soybeans, resist devastating infections," says Gassman. While the article says that genetically modified (GM) plants still cause controversy, Gassmann believes that assisting plants with disease resistance derived from nature is better than the use of fungicides. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:44:00 -0500{95386C41-EEC3-49DF-BF7C-E74D8CE93939}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/19/a.aspxA new report from the Canadian activist organization ETC Group argues that agribusiness is exerting a growing influence on the multilateral food system. The 30-page report discusses three cases that it says shows this growth in influence and a lack of transparency in research funding. One case involves the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and two involve Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers. According to the report, multinational corporations are now seeing their future profitability in emerging economies, and this has caused them to take notice of the international institutions that have been working throughout the global South for half a century. The result, it claims, is that international agencies have been distracted from their true mandate. The UN is “giving multinational agribusiness privileged access to alter their agricultural policies,” alleges Pat Mooney, executive director of ETC Group. Mooney reports that “the key organizations responsible for agricultural research have no credible data on the extent of corporate involvement in their work and that CGIAR’s biggest funder – at $89 million – is somebody called, ‘Miscellaneous!’” ETC Group is calling for governments to investigate the link between the international public and private sectors in food and agriculture. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:42:00 -0500{58484DEB-FD18-4D16-BE15-AC94E7AFC9AD}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/18/c.aspxA new book in the series Springer Briefs in Food, Health and Nutrition provides “the current state-of-the-art” on all key topics involved in genetically modified organism (GMO) testing, and is a source of detailed practical information for laboratories, this press release reports. The book is by researchers at Slovenia’s National Institute of Biology (NIB), who were invited to take lead authorship, as well as by researchers from the EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which hosts the EU Reference Laboratory for GM Food and Feed and chairs the European Network of GMO Laboratories. According to the press release, the detection of GMOs is becoming very complex, with new GMOs, approved and unapproved, constantly entering world markets. Traceability and labeling of GMOs are defined in regulations worldwide, demanding accurate and reliable testing to support the requirements of legislation. The book covers a range of topics, including: 1) real-time PCR analysis relevant to all areas where detection and identification rely on nucleic-acid-based methods; 2) organization of the GMO-testing laboratory, focusing on aspects of the quality system and methods for testing; and 3) legislation on GMOs and sources of information on GMOs. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:15:00 -0500{2D82C282-37D6-400E-B78D-5301783EF9CA}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/18/b.aspxBrazil’s state-owned agricultural research agency, EMBRAPA, as well as Monsanto and other large agricultural companies, are working to develop drought resistant genetically modified (GM) sugarcane for the Brazilian market, says Eduardo Romano, the researcher coordinating EMBRAPA’s sugarcane project. But, says Romano, EMBRAPA plans to charge less than Monsanto, Bayer, or Syngenta – to ensure that the technology remains affordable for smallholder farmers. “It’s the same model they used in China for cotton . . . The government developed their own transgenic strains, cut prices and multinationals were forced to follow suit,” Romano says. According to Romano, EMBRAPA expects to field test the drought resistant sugarcane in two years and may have it certified for commercial use by the National Biosafety Technical Commission in five years. He expects the commercial seed companies to introduce a GM sugar cane plant in about four years. He says that sugarcane farmers in Brazil must contend with frequent droughts that may wipe out as much as 50 percent of yields, and often resort to costly irrigation techniques to maintain productivity. Sugarcane is commonly used to produce both sugarcane and ethanol. “Increased global demand for biofuels has meant sugar cane is growing in importance,” Romano comments. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:11:00 -0500{AFAC6136-C558-4DC2-B3B4-E84E47DC21F5}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/18/a.aspxThis month, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is launching two major new CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) to address some of the most pressing problems facing the global food system. The first program is called Policies, Institutions, and Markets to Strengthen Food Security and Incomes for the Rural Poor, or CRP2. The second is Agriculture for Improved Nutrition and Health, or CRP4. Both programs will be led by IFPRI and will bring together researchers from across the centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The first program, CRP2, will identify policies and institutions that will enable rural smallholder producers, particularly women, to increase their incomes through better links with markets and equitable access to services and assets. The press release says that failures related to policies, institutions, and markets are a major impediment to increasing agricultural growth in the developing world, where a majority of people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. The second program, CRP4, aims to improve the nutrition and health of poor people and will focus on research in four key areas: 1) value chains; 2) biofortification; 3) control of agriculture-associated diseases; and 4) integrated agriculture, nutrition, and health development programs and policies. The press release and related documents are available online at the link below.Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:09:00 -0500{29A88022-A46F-4B5D-B3B7-F7430772CAB0}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/17/b.aspxThe German chemical company BASF today has announced that it is stopping production of genetically modified (GM) crops for the European market, citing hostility from consumers as the reason for the decision. “There is still a lack of acceptance for this technology in many parts of Europe – from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians . . . It does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market,” said Stefan Marcinowski, a member of BASF's board. The company will move its plant-science unit from Limburgerhof in Germany to the U.S. It will also close other sites in Germany and Sweden. BASF said it has already halted work on its GM “Amflora” potato, which became the second GM crop approved for commercial cultivation in the EU in 2010. The Amflora potato was later withdrawn from the market after an unapproved GM variety was discovered. Adrian Bebb of the environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth Europe, said, “This is another nail in the coffin for genetically modified foods in Europe . . . No one wants to eat them and few farmers want to grow them.” Some German members of the European Parliament (MEPs), such as Werner Langen, a German center-right MEP, deplored how the uncertain regulatory situation is resulting in the loss of scientific research in Europe. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:16:00 -0500{3B1C0EAC-076C-49AB-9307-05D513DD04F9}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/17/a.aspxResearchers at the universities of Warwick and Oxford in the U.K. and at the ag-biotech research company Biogemma say they have identified a gene that regulates the flow of nutrients from adult maize plants to their seeds. The identification of the new gene, named Meg1, “represents a real breakthrough in unravelling the complex gene pathways that regulate the provisioning and nutritional content of seeds," said Hugh Dickinson of Oxford University's department of plant sciences. It is hoped that the identification of the gene will help researchers increase seed size and productivity in major crop plants. Jose Gutierrez-Marcos, associate professor at the University of Warwick's School of Life Sciences, said, "These findings have significant implications for global agriculture and food security, as scientists now have the molecular know-how to manipulate this gene by traditional plant breeding or through other methods to improve seed traits, such as increased seed biomass yield.” "To meet the demands of the world's growing population in years to come, scientists and breeders must work together to safeguard and increase agricultural production," Gutierrez-Marcos added. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:14:00 -0500{A6664F18-4C32-4B07-82F5-A03400951713}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/17/c.aspxIn this interview, Howarth Bouis, director of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) program HarvestPlus, discusses biofortification and HarvestPlus’s choice not to use genetic engineering. Biofortification involves the development of plant varieties that have edible portions that are higher in minerals and vitamins, Bouis explains. “The long run solution is that peoples' incomes go up to the point where they can afford to pay for the diets we all enjoy,” Bouis says. But, he says, biofortification is something that we can do now. Bouis says that “What I like about it is every dollar invested [in biofortification] has a very high return.” HarvestPlus has estimated that the five hundred million vitamin A supplements that are given out every year cost US$500 million per year. “Over a decade you’ve spent $5 billion,” Bouis says. By comparison, he says that the cost of disseminating biofortified crop varieties is “a drop in the bucket.” Asked about genetically modified (GM) crops, Bouis says: “when HarvestPlus started in 2003 we decided that we wanted to invest all of our resources in conventional breeding. Simply because we didn’t want to encounter all the hurdles and the criticisms and the difficulties of the genetically-modified varieties. We consider all of the fear about GM crops unfortunate, but that wasn’t our battle, our battle was to try and improve nutrition and our research showed that we could make improvements in certain crops through conventional breeding.” Bouis notes, however, that GM “Golden Rice,” which has been fortified with heighted levels of beta-carotene (a bioprecursor to vitamin A), is to be released in the Philippines in 2013. The text of the interview can be viewed online at the link below.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:49:00 -0500{08C6E232-4349-4B7F-8F2B-306ED9471183}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/13/d.aspxS.R. Rao, an advisor to India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT), spoke recently about the draft National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, which was tabled in Parliament in July of 2011. The draft bill would establish a Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI), which would address concerns over the safety, efficacy, and commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops, Rao said. Rao said the BRAI would be governed under stringent systems for ensuring safety and efficacy, and there would be complete clarity, transparency, and consistency in its operations. “We can cut off BT products at our own peril as they are the future. But every step to safeguard safety and rights issues would be taken under the BRAI which will have layered constitution to cut out risks,” said Rao. Addressing concerns that the bill would take away authority from the Indian states, he said that the commercialization of GM products in agriculture and other sectors would be placed under the states’ control, and there would be no interference from the BRAI. Rao, the article says, came down hard on public opposition to GM food crops like Bt brinjal (a.k.a. eggplant). Rao argued that such opposition is ill-advised and without scientific basis. “[The] public can be consulted on [the] effects of science [but] not on [the] processes of science,” he said. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:53:00 -0500{A7C27407-3FB4-4C6B-85F8-D6CE70F600E3}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/13/a.aspxU.S. District Judge Samuel Conti has rejected allegations by “biotech critics” that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) violated environmental laws when it fully deregulated Monsanto’s “Roundup Ready” genetically modified (GM) alfalfa. Conti repeatedly said that arguments against the crop's commercialization were unpersuasive; he said that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), took a "hard look" at GM alfalfa's potential effects, as required under federal environmental law. The article says that the judge fundamentally sided with USDA's view of its limited authority over GM crops -- a key point in the case. For example, Conti agreed with USDA that "once APHIS determined that (Roundup Ready alfalfa) did not pose a plant pest risk, it lacked further discretionary authority to regulate the crop..." Critics claimed the agency failed to properly evaluate the potential for GM alfalfa to cross-pollinate with conventional and organic varieties, thus harming non-GM farmers. Conti rejected that argument, ruling that "there is no indication that Congress intended APHIS to regulate genetically engineered crops as plant pests based on their potential to interbreed with other crops." The National Alfalfa Alliance said it sees the ruling as a vindication of USDA's scientific analysis of Roundup Ready alfalfa. The Center for Food Safety, which opposed the crop's deregulation, vowed to challenge the ruling in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Mark McCaslin, president of Forage Genetics International, which was involved in developing the crop, said that demand among farmers for GM alfalfa was strong in 2011, with some estimates indicating 50 percent adoption among alfalfa farmers in the Western region of the U.S. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:51:00 -0500{558B187C-887F-4FB6-BD91-C424086DA9F8}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/13/c.aspxWorld food prices fell in December, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO’s) Food Price Index dropping 2.4 percent from November, this press release reports. The press release says that the decline was driven by sharp falls in international prices of cereals, sugar, and oils due to bumper 2011 crops, coupled with slowing demand and a stronger U.S. dollar. Most commodities were affected. At its new level of 211 points, the FAO Food Price Index was 11.3 percent (27 points) below its peak in February 2011. However, although food prices dropped steadily in the second half of 2011, the Index averaged 228 points in 2011 — the highest average since the FAO started measuring international food prices in 1990. The previous high was in 2008 at 200 points. The press release can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:44:00 -0500{735D19BC-4BE1-4B9D-94B2-38A2B186443D}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/13/b.aspxThe French government said on Friday that it will uphold its ban on MON 810 genetically modified (GM) maize, despite the recent overturning of the ban by France’s highest court. The brief statement from France’s ecology and agriculture ministers provided no explanation for the move. MON 810 maize is an insect resistant variety that has been approved at the EU level for commercial cultivation. France first banned it in 2008, after protests by l green groups cited a "serious risk to the environment." But in early September 2011, the European Court of Justice ruled that France had based its ban on the wrong EU legislation. This EU-level ruling was followed by a ruling in November from France’s highest court. The French court overturned the 2008 ban after finding that the government had not produced enough evidence to prove that MON 810 maize poses a significant risk to health or the environment. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who the article notes is facing a tough battle for re-election in April, had responded by saying that the government would study ways of extending the ban, invoking the need to defend farmers' health. The article reports that French citizens are “among the staunchest biotech sceptics.” France is also the EU's largest grain producer. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:42:00 -0500{04187CEB-2187-4F5B-B4E5-35410FF0B916}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/12/b.aspxA new book called "Label It Now" about genetically modified (GM) foods has been written by Charles Benbrook, chief scientist at the Organic Center, a nonprofit industry research and trade group, Garry Hirshberg, chief executive of Stonyfield Farm Inc., and Britt Lundgren, director of sustainable agriculture at Stonyfield. The article calls the authors three “food industry heavyweights.” "Label It Now" advocates that all food be labeled, because, "We all have a right to know what's in our food," according to information on the book's marketing site. "I think it is fair to say that the public health impacts of both genetic modification of the plants themselves and the heightened reliance and use of the particular herbicide - in this case glyphospate - has not been researched as carefully as it should have been," Benbrook said, adding that he doesn't see evidence that proves genetically modified foods create "the kind of dire impacts that some people fear are occurring." The article can be viewed online at the link below.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:46:00 -0500{C7091210-FE75-4F5A-8EF5-AECBC1FE3C87}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/12/c.aspxThe government of Mexico has continued granting environmental testing permits to developers of genetically modified (GM) corn and other crops, says this report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). And on December 31, 2011, the government granted “long-awaited” permissions for two pilot tests of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) corn: tests that represent a next step in the biotech approval process for GM corn. The report can be viewed online at the link below. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:51:00 -0500{075BBD1B-8D1F-442E-A3A1-261083C6E8BD}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/12/a.aspxA body of Pakistani seed companies has welcomed the Punjab government’s decision to drop a deal with Monsanto for the introduction of Bt cotton deal, terming it a step in the right direction. The deal would have given Monsanto and killed the national seed sector, said Shahzad Ali Malik, president of the Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP) in a statement. The national seed sector appreciates the need to introduce technology, but in an open and fair way, so that all seed companies operating in Pakistan can have level playing field, Malik said. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:45:00 -0500{5BF50EA7-043A-46B9-BDDD-AE976F5430EC}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/11/c.aspxS.R. Rao, an advisor to India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT), spoke recently about the draft National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, which was tabled in Parliament in July of 2011. The draft bill would establish a Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI), which would address concerns over the safety, efficacy, and commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops, Rao said. Rao said the BRAI would be governed under stringent systems for ensuring safety and efficacy, and there would be complete clarity, transparency, and consistency in its operations. “We can cut off BT products at our own peril as they are the future. But every step to safeguard safety and rights issues would be taken under the BRAI which will have layered constitution to cut out risks,” said Rao. Addressing concerns that the bill would take away authority from the Indian states, he said that the commercialization of GM products in agriculture and other sectors would be placed under the states’ control, and there would be no interference from the BRAI. Rao, the article says, came down hard on public opposition to GM food crops like Bt brinjal (a.k.a. eggplant). Rao argued that such opposition is ill-advised and without scientific basis. “[The] public can be consulted on [the] effects of science [but] not on [the] processes of science,” he said. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:53:00 -0500{EFC94DFF-60B2-49A7-8961-901D5A0D0ABE}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/11/b.aspxU.S. District Judge Samuel Conti has rejected allegations by “biotech critics” that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) violated environmental laws when it fully deregulated Monsanto’s “Roundup Ready” genetically modified (GM) alfalfa. Conti repeatedly said that arguments against the crop's commercialization were unpersuasive; he said that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), took a "hard look" at GM alfalfa's potential effects, as required under federal environmental law. The article says that the judge fundamentally sided with USDA's view of its limited authority over GM crops -- a key point in the case. For example, Conti agreed with USDA that "once APHIS determined that (Roundup Ready alfalfa) did not pose a plant pest risk, it lacked further discretionary authority to regulate the crop..." Critics claimed the agency failed to properly evaluate the potential for GM alfalfa to cross-pollinate with conventional and organic varieties, thus harming non-GM farmers. Conti rejected that argument, ruling that "there is no indication that Congress intended APHIS to regulate genetically engineered crops as plant pests based on their potential to interbreed with other crops." The National Alfalfa Alliance said it sees the ruling as a vindication of USDA's scientific analysis of Roundup Ready alfalfa. The Center for Food Safety, which opposed the crop's deregulation, vowed to challenge the ruling in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Mark McCaslin, president of Forage Genetics International, which was involved in developing the crop, said that demand among farmers for GM alfalfa was strong in 2011, with some estimates indicating 50 percent adoption among alfalfa farmers in the Western region of the U.S. The article can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:51:00 -0500{E129CD42-3C9D-4E9C-817C-EB82C9EF403D}http://www.merid.org/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2012/jan/11/a.aspxIn this interview, Howarth Bouis, director of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) program HarvestPlus, discusses biofortification and HarvestPlus’s choice not to use genetic engineering. Biofortification involves the development of plant varieties that have edible portions that are higher in minerals and vitamins, Bouis explains. “The long run solution is that peoples' incomes go up to the point where they can afford to pay for the diets we all enjoy,” Bouis says. But, he says, biofortification is something that we can do now. Bouis says that “What I like about it is every dollar invested [in biofortification] has a very high return.” HarvestPlus has estimated that the five hundred million vitamin A supplements that are given out every year cost US$500 million per year. “Over a decade you’ve spent $5 billion,” Bouis says. By comparison, he says that the cost of disseminating biofortified crop varieties is “a drop in the bucket.” Asked about genetically modified (GM) crops, Bouis says: “when HarvestPlus started in 2003 we decided that we wanted to invest all of our resources in conventional breeding. Simply because we didn’t want to encounter all the hurdles and the criticisms and the difficulties of the genetically-modified varieties. We consider all of the fear about GM crops unfortunate, but that wasn’t our battle, our battle was to try and improve nutrition and our research showed that we could make improvements in certain crops through conventional breeding.” Bouis notes, however, that GM “Golden Rice,” which has been fortified with heighted levels of beta-carotene (a bioprecursor to vitamin A), is to be released in the Philippines in 2013. The text of the interview can be viewed online at the link below.Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:49:00 -0500