Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, said Wednesday it was making good progress on the development of a herbicide-tolerant wheat, pushing what would be the world’s first biotech wheat a step closer to market. Monsanto, a leading developer of biotech corn, soybeans and other crops, has long tried to bring to market a genetically-altered wheat […] Read more
Biotech wheat moves closer to market, Monsanto says
Dow’s Enlist corn, soybeans move closer to USDA approval
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday it was leaning toward approval of Dow AgroSciences’ genetically altered Enlist corn and soybeans — a move which would free up the traits for release in Canada, where they’ve been approved since 2012. U.S. approvals have been delayed in the wake of heavy criticism of the products by […] Read more
Three Chinese men charged with stealing U.S. seed technology
Three Chinese nationals have been charged in two separate cases of trying to steal seed technology, trade secrets under development in the United States, authorities said on Thursday. After a two-year investigation, a man working for a Chinese conglomerate was arrested on charges of stealing inbred corn seed from production fields in Iowa and Illinois […] Read more
Monsanto deal with Novozymes aims to accelerate new crop products
Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, said Tuesday a deal with Danish company Novozymes to form a long-term research and development alliance should accelerate the release of microbial-based products designed to improve crop production. The news helped to slightly lift shares in St. Louis-based Monsanto, and analysts said while the biological work is not likely […] Read more
After Washington GMO vote, both sides eye national fight
Both sides of the costly and high-stakes GMO labeling battle in Washington state say they see an even bigger national fight ahead despite the apparent defeat of the mandatory labeling measure by Washington state voters this week. The measure died 47.05 per cent to 52.95 per cent, according to results updated Thursday night by the […] Read more
Food giants pour millions into defeating Washington GMO label measure
Major U.S. food and chemical companies are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to block approval of a ballot initiative in Washington state that would make it the first in the United States to require labelling of foods containing genetically modified crops. Despite early strong support for the measure, a recent poll suggests sentiment against […] Read more
Monsanto posts deeper Q4 loss, unveils acquisition
Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, reported a deeper quarterly loss on Wednesday as seed sales slipped, and announced the acquisition of a high-tech climate data firm it touted as a “transformational” growth engine. Investors initially appeared unimpressed with the $930 million purchase of Climate Corp and instead eyed Monsanto’s 2014 profit forecast and […] Read more
U.S. lays charges in $100M biofuels fraud
Six people and three companies, including an Indiana operation claiming to make biofuel from chicken fat and vegetable oils, were charged with defrauding investors and consumers out of more than US$100 million, prosecutors in Indianapolis said Wednesday. The indictment alleged four men operating E-Biofuels of Middletown, Indiana and two others with New Jersey-based Caravan Trading […] Read more
USDA won’t take action in GM alfalfa case
The detection of a small amount of genetically modified material in a Washington state farmer’s non-genetically-modified (GM) alfalfa crop constitutes a “commercial issue” only and does not warrant any government action, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. The Washington state farmer had complained in late August to state agricultural officials that his alfalfa hay […] Read more
Washington state testing farmer’s alfalfa for GM contamination
Agriculture officials in Washington state are testing samples of alfalfa, after a farmer reported his hay was rejected for export because it tested positive for a genetically-modified (GM) trait that was not supposed to be in his crop. If it’s confirmed that the alfalfa in question was genetically modified, it could have broad ramifications, said […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
