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USDA outlines first-ever rule for GMO labeling

Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday laid out its first-ever requirements for labeling of genetically engineered, or GMO, foods as early as 2020, a rule met with praise from some farmers and criticism from consumer groups. Consumers have been pushing for years for greater transparency over what is in their […] Read more

The grand chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in Luxembourg. (Curia.europa.eu)

GMO rules cover plant gene editing technique, top EU court says

Brussels | Reuters — Crops obtained by plant breeding technique mutagenesis should fall under laws restricting the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Europe’s highest court said on Wednesday, in a victory for environmental campaigners. The biotech industry had argued that much of mutagenesis, or gene editing, is effectively little different to the mutagenesis that […] Read more


Chocolate World in Hershey, Penn. in 2011. (SDominick/iStock/Getty Images)

Nestle, Hershey at odds with farmers over U.S. GMO labeling

New York | Reuters –– The world’s top food companies and farmers of crops such as beet sugar are pitted against each other as they lobby the U.S. government over plans to label genetically engineered ingredients. At the heart of the issue is transparency over ingredients used in food. Packaged foods makers are facing flagging […] Read more

(Jack Dykinga photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Japan suspends sale of Canadian wheat

Tokyo/Winnipeg | Reuters — Japan’s farm ministry said Friday it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a genetically modified trait was discovered last summer in Alberta. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday the wheat containing a genetically modified trait, developed by Monsanto to tolerate Roundup herbicide, […] Read more


(Syngenta.com)

U.S. farmers seek approval of GMO corn settlement with Syngenta

Reuters –– U.S. farmers suing Syngenta over its decision to commercialize a genetically modified (GMO) strain of corn before China approved importing it sought court approval on Monday of a record US$1.51 billion settlement with the Swiss seed company. The deal covers U.S. corn producers, grain handling facilities and ethanol plants nationwide that sold corn […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

German coalition deal sets no timetable to end glyphosate use

Hamburg | Reuters –– Germany’s draft coalition government deal includes a goal of ending use of glyphosate herbicide within the country, but gives no time frame, after Berlin swung a vote in November extending its use across the European Union. The timing of an end to glyphosate use has been highly controversial in Europe amid […] Read more

(Limagrain.com)

Limagrain says GMO protests could force R+D relocation

Paris | Reuters — Limagrain, the world’s fourth-largest seed maker, will consider moving its research activities out of France if field trials in its home market continue to be sabotaged by opponents of genetically modified crops. The French co-operative group was targeted last month by protestors who invaded test fields southeast of Paris and scattered […] Read more



Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

ADM, Cargill still pursue Syngenta over corn rejections

Chicago | Reuters — Syngenta moved closer to putting a troubled biotech corn seed launch behind it with a US$1.5 billion settlement with farmers this week, but grain traders who filed two remaining lawsuits may be less ready to compromise, legal experts said. The company was sued three years ago by the farmers and traders […] Read more