Latest Genetically modified organism Stories

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Chevron Are Runners-Up in Facebook Balloting WASHINGTON, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Just in time for April Fool's Day, Green America announced the winners of its online contest to determine the biggest "Corporate Fool": Agricultural and chemical giant Monsanto came in first, followed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Chevron. To honor Monsanto as the nation's biggest corporate fool, a donation was made in the name of Monsanto CEO...

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, March 16, 2012, Occupy Monsanto's agents of change with the Genetic Crimes Unit (GCU), a group designed to protect America from genetically modified foods, will wear bio-hazmat suits when they visit Congress. The group will gather at Capitol South Metro station at noon on March 16 to highlight how chemical company Monsanto is contaminating our political process. The GCU opposes Monsanto's bid to increase spraying of food...

The corn rootworm -- one of the most economically destructive insects of maize in the United States -- is threatening to become agriculture’s worst nightmare as biotech corn is continually losing its resistance to the damaging pests. The problem is so severe that a group of scientists wrote a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warning that action needs to be taken to rid agriculture of the devastating insects. The problem was first made aware of last year, when...

Experts say at least $20 million to $30 million in government research is needed over the next decade to adequately identify and address the possible ecological risks of synthetic biology, an emerging area of research focused on the design and construction of new biological parts and systems, or modification of existing ones, to create new applications in areas ranging from energy to chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Without key research into these risks and appropriate federal oversight,...

Max Planck scientists analysing the release of genetically modified insects into the environment have found that the available scientific information can be misleading While genetically modified plants have already been introduced into the wild on a large scale in some parts of the world, the release of genetically modified animals is still at a relatively early stage. A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany has now published a study...

The current issue of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases presents a new collection of articles on the use of genetically modified (GM) insects for controlling some of the most widespread infectious diseases. Articles from across the PLoS journals describe the technological advances these tools represent, the regulatory framework, and the societal dialogue that is necessary for their wide-scale application for disease control. Diseases transmitted by insects form a huge burden on human and...

Shareholder's Resolution Would Require Chemical Giant to Study Risks of its Genetically Engineered Crops Protests Outside Monsanto 2012 Annual Meeting Planned ST. LOUIS, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, January 24 at 1:30 PM, Monsanto officers and shareholders will vote on a shareholder proposal to create a study of "material financial risks or operational impacts" associated with its chemical products and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The proposal...

Wheat's genetic resistance to Hessian flies has been failing, but a group of Purdue University and U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists believe that other plants may soon be able to come to the rescue. The Purdue and USDA research team developed a method to test toxins from other plants on Hessian fly larvae. The test simulates the effect of a transgenic plant without the lengthy and costly procedures necessary to actually create those plants. "For years, people have tried to...

Pocket Guide Helps Shoppers Easily Identify the Foods to Always Buy Organic to Avoid Pesticides and GMOs and Maximize Nutrient Intake Boulder, Colo. (PRWEB) December 12, 2011 The Organic Center today announced the release of a comprehensive shopper’s guide, Organic Essentials, designed to help shoppers reduce their pesticide risk, eat foods that contain the most nutrients and avoid GMOs. The Organic Center is a leading research and education institute focused on the science of...

The EU’s governance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food safety has given lobbyists a new role. In the past, Greenpeace and the biotechnology industry organisation EuropaBio exerted their influence in the corridors. Now the former enemies sit opposite one another as experts in the EU’s core activities. By studying how lobbyists try to influence GMO rules, a new thesis from the Lund University School of Economics and Management in Sweden provides an insight into decisions that...