A federal judge has struck down a Hawaii county’s ordinance against genetically engineered crops. This article from Civil Beat said the decision by Judge Susan Mollway found the ordinance “invalid and unenforceable” because it is preempted by state and federal law. Mollway emphasized that the ruling is not a statement on whether genetically modified organisms are beneficial or detrimental. “The … Read More
Hearing on Food Labeling This Week
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health has scheduled a hearing this week on “A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food.” Subcommittee members will discuss the role biotechnology plays on our nation’s farms, food supply, and economy. They will hear from experts about the safety of foods derived from genetically engineered crops and the … Read More
Nebraska Governor Talks Biotech in Europe
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is on an agricultural trade mission trip to the European Union with stops in Italy, Belgium, and Denmark. The trade mission, being coordinated jointly by the Nebraska Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development, includes a number of representatives from the state’s agriculture industry. One of the delegation’s first stops was at Expo Milano where they visited … Read More
ARA Supports Food Labeling Act
Hundreds of organizations representing various sectors of the food and agriculture industry signed on to a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to support the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The groups representing the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food urged members of Congress to consider co-sponsoring the bill introduced last month by Reps. Mike … Read More
EU Approves 17 Biotech Traits for Import
After the European Commission had just proposed to let European Union (EU) states opt out of the import of food and feed containing biotechnology traits, the body seems to have reversed course a bit and approved 17 biotechnology traits for import. The news was met with guarded optimism from the American Soybean Association’s (ASA) First Vice President Richard Wilkins, a … Read More
Vermont GE Labeling Rules Adopted
Vermont’s Attorney General has formally adopted the regulations implementing Act 120, the state law requiring the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering. The new rule is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2016. The final rule provides details on how the “Produced with Genetic Engineering” label should appear on processed food, exemptions from the labeling requirement, and contains … Read More
Momentum Growing for Non-GMO Labels
Momentum and support appear to be growing for a voluntary federal food labeling standard with a Washington Post editorial out this week saying GMO food labeling is unnecessary. “The GM-food debate is a classic example of activists overstating risk based on fear of what might be unknown and on a distrust of corporations,” writes the WP editorial board, which noted … Read More
GMO Food Regulation Hearing Draws Crowd
A hearing on the role of the Food and Drug Administration in the regulation of genetically modified food drew quite a bit of interest on Capitol Hill Wednesday. “I only wish every hearing drew this much interest,” said Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. Among the witnesses at the hearing were animal … Read More
Monsanto to Debate GMOs on Dec. 3rd
Producers, consumers and the whole world can see a debate live online this Wednesday, Dec. 3rd. Monsanto Company Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Robert Fraley and Alison Van Eenennaam, Genomics and Biotechnology Researcher, UC Davis, will participate in an Intelligence Squared U.S. debate on the motion “Genetically Modify Food.” You can see a live stream of the debate 6:45 pm ET … Read More
Solution to End World Hunger: GMOs
A new report, “The Future of Farming and Rise of Biotechnology,” finds decreasing regulations on genetically modified crops (GMOs) could be a valuable strategy in combating global hunger. The report was released by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA). NCPA Research Associate David Weisser notes that Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug’s use of biotechnology has been credited with saving … Read More