Science for
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Quote of
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"If we tried to feed the global population today on the average agricultural yields of the 1960s, we would need to farm over 85 percent of global land, instead of the 35 percent we use currently."
Professor Robert Henry
University of Queensland
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“A few years ago, we also studied the trade-offs between high yields and external environmental effects, measured per unit of product. Contrary to our expectations, we found the external harms of high-yielding systems quite often turned out to be much lower than those of more extensive systems, such as organic farming. In terms of nitrogen and phosphate losses, from different dairy systems, for example, the difference was a factor of two. So if you want to reduce pollution, you should probably avoid organic milk.”
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Professor Andrew Balmford
University of Cambridge
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must reads
Science for Sustainable Agriculture news
Defra must publish a full impact assessment of farm policies on domestic food production
Julian Sturdy MP
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Highlighting concerns that a UK policy emphasis on lower-yield farming practices and land use change will inevitably take its toll on domestic food production, Julian Sturdy MP calls on Defra to publish a full impact assessment of its Environmental Land Management (ELM) and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) policies on farm-level yields, national agricultural productivity growth, and domestic food self-sufficiency. It is not too late to adopt a data-led approach to measure and monitor the impact of our farm policies, he argues. The Agriculture Act includes specific provisions to equip farmers with the technology to generate, collect and share data, and to support productivity improvements. Together, these policy tools could and should be used not only to track the impact of government policies, but also to inform and drive sustainable gains in agricultural productivity, and to benchmark and reward farmers for genuine progress in reducing their environmental footprint per unit of food produced. It is vital that we adopt a clear-sighted, evidence-based approach to the development and implementation of future farm policies. Otherwise, we may risk sleepwalking into a food crisis, he warns.
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Which farming system better preserves insect populations: organic or conventional?
Jon Entine
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Science journalist Jon Entine challenges the simplistic narrative that modern intensive agriculture is steering us toward catastrophic declines in global insect populations, highlighting to a 2020 meta-study of 166 long-term surveys which points to a levelling off of insect declines in recent decades, and an increase in some species. Global population growth and rising affluence over coming decades will require a sharp increase in necessary food calories, which can only occur by expanding farmable acreage - or by increasing yields on existing farmland. Using technology to boost yields on currently farmed acres - growing more food on less land—is the most important action we can take to protect habitat and biodiversity, he suggests, warning that a turn away from efficient, intensive agriculture to accommodate the ideological fashion of our times could be a disaster for the fragile insect population.
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Regenerative agriculture - hype or hope?
Professor Mario Caccamo
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As interest in regenerative agriculture reaches fever pitch across the value chain, NIAB is preparing the ground for a major research effort to deliver the science needed for a commercial scale-up of regen-ag, combining research leadership in soil science, variety testing, rotational agronomy, precision agronomy, cover cropping, data science and water use efficiency. A progressive, science-based approach, embracing innovation and harnessing the power of large-scale data, offers the potential for high-yielding, profitable crop production to go hand in hand with reducing agriculture’s environmental and climate impacts, writes Professor Mario Caccamo.
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Pro-science think-tank calls for UK Agri-Tech Strategy re-set
Following the recent announcement that three of the four Agri-Tech Centres established under the 2013 UK Agri-Tech Strategy could be merged into a single Catapult, and amid reports that the fourth centre, Agrimetrics, faces an uncertain future without continued Government support, pro-science think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) is calling for an evidence-led re-set of the Strategy, with a renewed focus on genetic innovation and data.
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Britain's organic farmers must not be locked out of the gene editing revolution
David Hill
Momentum is building to permit gene edited crops in organic agriculture within the European Union. Meanwhile, Britain’s organic farmers risk being left behind by the campaigning stance of UK organic sector bodies, whose dogmatic rejection of these more precise breeding technologies may not reflect the views of members on the ground, warns Norfolk arable farmer and registered organic processor, David Hill.
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Time for a fresh look at the UK rulebook on using the GM method for crop improvement
Professor Jonathan Jones FRS
After almost 30 years’ safe and effective use of GM crops around the world, the technology has delivered major benefits for agriculture and the environment in terms of increased yields, lower pesticide use and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. But national bans and overly-restrictive rules on GM crop cultivation have limited the global gains to just one-third of the technology’s potential. At a time of mounting concern over the food, energy and climate pressures facing the planet, The Royal Society is calling for a more proportionate and evidence-led approach to regulating GM crops in the UK, explains plant scientist Professor Jonathan Jones.
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NEWS: Benefits for food security, animal welfare and the environment: New study shows balanced breeding programmes in pigs can increase litter size while also increasing birth weights and improving piglet survival rates
A new peer-reviewed study has underlined the contribution of balanced farm animal breeding programmes in delivering combined benefits in terms of food production, animal welfare and environmental impact.
Published in the journal Frontiers in Animal Science, the study examines long-term trends in commercial pig breeding since the early 2000s, focusing on data relating to litter size, piglet birth weight and piglet survival rates according to different genetic types (breeding lines).
Improvements have been most marked over the past decade, with the data showing that from 2012 until 2022, average litter size increased by 3.5 pigs, birth weight increased by 30g per pig, while piglet survival rates improved by 8%.
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Label organic products, not gene edited, on food safety grounds
Daniel Pearsall & Matt Ridley
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The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has followed the science in recommending a streamlined approach to regulating gene edited food and feed products, mirroring the rules already adopted in countries such as Canada, Argentina and Japan, and in line with the approach proposed for the EU. Howls of protest from the organic lobby demanding mandatory labelling of gene edited products must be met with the same level-headed, evidence-based response. Rather than statutory labelling of gene edited products, for which there is no scientific basis in food safety terms, the FSA might more reasonably turn its attention to requiring statutory labelling of organic products – in the same way as raw milk products – to alert consumers to the potential additional risks in terms of food safety and hygiene, write Daniel Pearsall and Matt Ridley.
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NEWS: Think-tank welcomes BBC correcting inaccurate statements about organic farming in information aimed at school pupils
The BBC has revised misleading and factually inaccurate statements about different farming systems on its exam revision website BBC Bitesize following a complaint lodged by pro-science think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture.
Simplistic assertions in content aimed at GCSE and National 5 students such as “intensive farming reduces biodiversity and increases pollution”, “organic milk and beef are produced without using antibiotics”, and “organic farmers do not apply pesticides to their crops” have now been removed from the site.
In its original letter to BBC director general Tim Davie, SSA pointed out that these statements were factually incorrect. Organic livestock farmers do use antibiotics (including those produced using GMOs), and they do use pesticides, some of which have been shown to have a more toxic and environmentally damaging profile than their synthetic counterparts.
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At last! A new, more science-based, outcomes-focused approach to defining regenerative agriculture
Dr Julian Little
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The recent publication of the SAI Platform’s global framework document for defining and measuring the outcomes of regenerative agriculture provides a welcome and much-needed injection of science-based thinking. In expressing the resource use and environmental impacts of regen ag farming practices per unit of production, this model provides a more meaningful and evidence-based approach to measuring farm-level sustainability than other more subjective models such as the Sustainable Food Trust’s Global Farm Metric and the Sustainable Markets Initiative, writes Dr Julian Little.
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NEWS: Think-tank ticks off organic sector body for misleading and factually inaccurate claims over gene edited microbes
Pro-science think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) has written to Roger Kerr, chief executive of organic sector body Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G), to correct misinformation contained in a letter from Mr Kerr recently published in the farming media.
In the letter, Mr Kerr suggested that the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed earlier this year ‘gave a green light to pesticide and biotech companies to develop and release genetically edited microbes’, warning that ‘the unintended consequences could be catastrophic’.
This statement is factually incorrect and hugely misleading since the Act does not apply to gene edited microbes, which will continue to be covered by existing GMO regulations. SSA suggested that OF&G should in future check its facts before spreading misinformation.
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Reduce synthetic fertilisers and improve yields? The microbiome revolution comes to agriculture
Henry Miller & Kathleen Hefferon
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Advances in our scientific understanding of the soil microbiome will lead to significant changes to our agricultural practices, opening up the potential to improve crop yields while reducing dependence on synthetic nitrogen and the damage it causes to our environment. Just as our growing comprehension of the human microbiome is revolutionising medicine, our increasing familiarity with the soil microbiome will transform agriculture, write Henry Miller and Kathleen Hefferon.
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Agri-Tech Catapult is a sensible move - but it must learn from past mistakes
Professor Tina Barsby OBE
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Merging three of the four UK Agri-Tech Centres into a single Agri-Tech Catapult makes sense, but there are significant lessons to be learned from the past 10 years if it is to deliver meaningful improvements in the translation and uptake of new farming technologies and innovations. With a return on investment of just 0.6:1, the Agri-Tech Centres have not delivered value for money, constrained by a risky ‘capital-only’ funding model, and lacking a core focus on genetic innovation, the single most important factor driving on-farm productivity gains, writes plant scientist Professor Tina Barsby.
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No such thing as natural farming
Maarten J. Chrispeels
Maarten Chrispeels, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Molecular Biology at the University of California San Diego, reflects on a historic stand-off between organic wine producers and GM crop farmers in Mendocino County, California, the first US country to vote for a ban on growing GM crops in 2004. He warns that rejecting modern technologies would be a disastrous development if we are to feed the 9 billion people who soon will inhabit our planet. The organic farmers of Mendocino hoodwinked the public into believing their practices were more "natural." But there is nothing natural about farming, he says. We should instead be worrying about sustainability, and embracing farming technologies and systems which can help us produce more food with less impact on the environment.
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NEWS: State of Nature report ‘ignores the scientific evidence’ in continuing to blame high yield farming for biodiversity declines
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Pro-science think tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture issued a response to the State of Nature report, saying it ignores the enormous progress made by Britain’s farmers to produce food more sustainably.
For example, through more precise application of pesticides and fertiliser, the adoption of low-till cultivation, and selection of high-yielding crops that are less reliant on chemicals.
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The group also challenges the report’s “relentless focus” on agri-environmental, or “land-sharing”, policy approaches.
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“The scientific evidence increasingly suggests that a land-sparing approach – farming as productively as possible on land that is farmed, leaving more room for natural habitats to be left intact – is the most effective way to produce sufficient food, while preventing biodiversity loss and tackling climate change.”
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NEWS: Gene edited PRRS resistant pigs expected to get US approval for commercialisation early next year. UK pig farmers ask: “When can we get access?”
Leading Yorkshire pig producer Rob Beckett has written to Defra minister Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP, urging the UK Government to speed up plans to allow the commercial use of precision breeding techniques in farmed animals.
Mr Beckett pointed to developments in the US, where gene edited pigs with complete resistance to the devastating PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) virus are expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in early 2024.
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UK plant breeders welcome 'quantum shift' in precision bred food and feed approval process for England
Robin Wood
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A ‘quantum shift’ by the Food Standards Agency in its planned approach to regulating gene edited food and feed products puts England on course to adopt one of the most progressive and enabling regulatory systems in the world. This could unlock significant new investment and economic activity by plant breeders and, combined with the UK’s world-leading science base in crop genetics, could establish Britain as a global hub for gene editing research and innovation, writes Robin Wood, chairman of the British Society of Plant Breeders and deputy chairman of independent UK plant breeding company, Elsoms Seeds.
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Quantifying the contribution of advanced livestock genetics to more sustainable protein production
Banks Baker
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Banks Baker, global director of product sustainability at the Pig Improvement Company (PIC), part of the animal genetics company Genus plc, says the role of advanced livestock genetics in delivering practical solutions for carbon reductions, and creating a more sustainable food system, has been consistently overlooked. Here he describes the steps his company is taking to enable livestock supply chains to measure and claim the contribution of genetically derived carbon reductions, through uptake of improved genetics, towards their climate goals.
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Think-tank challenges pro-organic bias in BBC Bitesize revision guides
Pro-science think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) has written to BBC Director General Tim Davie to challenge misleading and factually inaccurate assertions made in relation to farming in the BBC’s online Bitesize revision guides aimed at GCSE students in England and National 5 students in Scotland.
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"It is vital that future generations are guided by the science, not by outdated doctrine and ideology. That way we have the best chance of feeding an increasingly hungry, warming planet in the most sustainable way."
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In its ‘zero tolerance’ approach to gene editing, the organic sector may seal its own demise
Paul Temple
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East Yorks mixed farmer Paul Temple suggests that in closing its mind to new genetic technologies, the organic sector may miss out on a major opportunity to transform the productivity, sustainability and viability of its farming systems. This is particularly the case if, as is widely predicted, the use of gene editing rapidly becomes commonplace in conventional breeding, but remains prohibited under organic standards. Organic growers may be left with older genetics gradually becoming more and more outclassed, more prone to disease and pest infestation, further widening the productivity gap between organic and non-organic. Increasingly, there are voices within the organic industry who would appear to agree, he notes.
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NEWS: Farming MP calls for agricultural innovation, not arbitrary bans, to lead the climate response
Responding the Soil Association’s call for cuts in the use of fossil-fuel based artificial fertilisers, Julian Sturdy MP, chair of the APPG on Science and Technology in Agriculture and a director of the think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture, argues that climate change should be tackled by encouraging new green technologies and scientific innovations, rather than by imposing measures which might harm economic growth and living standards and ultimately reduce domestic food production.
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Is it ethical to hold back the promise of gene editing in livestock?
Dr Craig Lewis
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Animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza, and African Swine Fever are listed among the major threats facing the UK, according to the Government’s national risk register. When technologies such as gene editing offer potential solutions to tackle these diseases, and the Genetic Technology Act gives Ministers the powers to unleash them, why is the UK Government still kicking the can down the road, asks Dr Craig Lewis, chair of the European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB).
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Do Europe's farmers support plans to ease restrictions on gene edited crops?
Steven Cerier
Despite the continued fearmongering of opponents, economist Steven Cerier notes that a broad coalition of farmers is emerging across Europe in support of the deregulation of agricultural biotechnology, keen to access tools that can help address pest and disease threats, as well as the increasing number and severity of climate disruptions. But if the EU does not act quickly, the fearmongers will delay the adoption of new genomic techniques (NGTs), severely handicapping its farmers, hampering global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, and establishing Europe as a laggard in food production, he warns.
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Europe’s Green Deal ‘Farm to Fork’ Plan: How Not to Grow Food Sustainably
Jon Entine
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Taking aim at the EU’s ‘Farm to Fork’ plan, US science journalist Jon Entine warns that reverting agriculture to low-yield, land intensive and disease-vulnerable farming methods is the fantasy of an affluent society. Scaling up organic farming and slashing synthetic pesticide and fertiliser use in Europe will not only increase hunger, but undermine climate and environmental goals as well. We need a food system that is efficient, productive, environmentally sustainable, and can provide nutritious food with an increasingly small footprint. We could actually begin solving many challenges if we stopped choosing methods based on superficial notions of sustainability and instead looked to outputs and goals. That can only happen if it is rooted in scientific reality, not wishful thinking, he suggests.
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Feeding the UK sustainably: time for policy inaction to end
Graham Brookes
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As Ministers prepare to unveil a new land use framework for England this autumn, the scientific evidence behind land sparing as the most effective farm policy for delivering food production, climate and biodiversity goals is compelling. Why then does the UK government continue to favour a land sharing approach through its environmental land management schemes? The recent ‘re-interpretation’ of an expert land use report by the large, land-owning NGOs who commissioned it may provide some clues, writes agricultural economist Graham Brookes.
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No room for the Greens' blind prejudice in Scotland's gene editing debate
Rachael Hamilton MSP
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As England and the EU follow other countries around the world to free up the use of gene editing in agriculture, will the Scottish Government maintain its obstinate and unscientific opposition to technologies which can improve productivity and help farmers produce safer, healthier food more sustainably in a changing climate? Faced with the prospect of a cut in direct support payments and an increase in production-limiting climate and biodiversity conditions, will Scotland’s farmers and crofters still be asked to compete with one hand tied behind their backs, asks the Scottish Conservative’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Rachael Hamilton MSP.
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Definitions matter
David Zaruk
EU risk and science communications specialist David Zaruk (aka The Risk-Monger) explores the definitions used in agriculture and food research, who controls those definitions, and - irrespective of what the science says – how they influence the way different farming systems and practices are perceived and regulated. He urges all actors in the value chain to take back the definitions: define the benefits of modern agriculture, its sustainability, and how the next generation of technologies will support a wave of sustainable intensification, not only ensuring food production keeps pace with global population and affluence growth, but also providing more space for nature.
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Regenerative agriculture doesn't have to be contentious: Take 2
Shane Thomas
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Canadian agronomist Shane Thomas revisits an earlier article after agribusiness giant Bayer Crop Science announces ambitious plans to lead the way in regenerative agriculture. Is this a smart move by Bayer, he asks: will it help to challenge binary perceptions of what regen ag is, or isn’t, and more importantly, will it drive increased uptake of practices which improve soil health, limit environmental impact, and deliver better returns to farmers?
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Farming innovations to deliver Net Zero
Julian Sturdy MP
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Following the launch of a cross-party Parliamentary report into the farming innovations needed to deliver on the UK’s climate commitments, Conservative MP Julian Sturdy highlights the importance of regulatory action by Government in a number of areas – gene editing, novel proteins for animal feed, and methane-reducing feed additives – to ensure these promising technologies realise their potential to reduce British agriculture’s carbon footprint. He also underlines the critical importance of standardised sustainability metrics in agriculture, not only to understand the wider impacts and consequences of farm policy decisions, but also to quantify the potential benefits of new farming technologies and innovations in supporting sustainable increases in domestic food production while delivering on the Net Zero agenda.
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Will EU switch eclipse England’s lead on precision breeding?
Samantha Brooke
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When UK Ministers first unveiled plans to diverge from restrictive EU rules classifying gene edited products as GMOs, it was hailed as a major Brexit dividend, giving Britain the freedom to pursue a more enabling, pro-innovation trajectory compared to our counterparts on the continent. Fast forward through Covid, war in Ukraine and successive droughts in southern Europe, and the EU has moved quicker than many expected to overhaul its GMO rules. As the UK Government prepares the detailed implementing rules for the Precision Breeding Act in England, Ministers must ensure we retain a leading edge over the rest of Europe in promoting investment, research and innovation in these technologies, urges Samantha Brooke, chief executive of the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB).
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NEWS: Pro-science think-tank urges NGOs to ‘come clean’ on £4.4bn farm budget report
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NGO-led report calls for £4.4bn budget to support ‘farming’, but at least half would be spent on taking 25% of currently farmed land out of production
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Top scientists say this ‘land-sparing’ approach is best for nature, but requires corresponding yield increases elsewhere to maintain food production and avoid exporting food system impacts
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Science for Sustainable Agriculture calls on NGOs to come clean on the need for high-tech, high-yield farming to meet future food security, climate and biodiversity goals
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Says report should inform a radical rethink of the funding and direction of England’s Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMs), much of which is currently focused on encouraging lower-yield farming systems
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Growing more with less
Robert Horn, International Monetary Fund, December 2023
Growing More with Less by Robert Horn (imf.org)
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COP28: 7 food and agriculture innovations needed to protect the climate and feed a rapidly growing world
Paul Winters, The Conversation, December 2023
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Vertically farmed greens taste as good as organic ones
Science Daily, December 2023
Vertically farmed greens taste as good as organic ones | ScienceDaily
Sustainability in Canada and Europe: An Assessment after 25 Years of GM Crop Production
Stuart J. Smith, American Chemical Society, December 2023
Are healthy foods automatically sustainable, too?
Science Daily, December 2023
Are healthy foods automatically sustainable, too? | ScienceDaily
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Europe tried it green and failed
Bill Wirtz, Washington Examiner, November 2023
Europe tried it green and failed | Washington Examiner
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Will higher food prices shift demand for niche market products?
Stuart Smyth, SAI Food, November 2023
Will Higher Food Prices Shift Consumer Demands For Niche Market Products? - SAIFood
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Big Steps Towards Plant Breeding’s Holy Grail: Apomixis
Seed World, November 2023
Big Steps Towards Plant Breeding’s Holy Grail: Apomixis - Seed World US
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Time to invest in the next agricultural revolution
Dr Matthew Partridge, Newsweek, November 2023
The next agricultural revolution is here. Time to invest. | MoneyWeek
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Mexican GMO Trade Dispute Relying On Faulty Claims, Retracted Research
Rob Wager, Issues & Insights, November 2023
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Genomic crop research goes wild
Stuart Smyth, Western Producer, November 2023
Genomic crop research goes wild | The Western Producer
The Solution to Ag’s Biggest Problems? Start with a Seed
Andy Lavigne, Seed World, November 2023
The Solution to Ag’s Biggest Problems? Start with a Seed - Seed World US
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Scientists show how to turn lunar soil fertile for agriculture
Will Dunham, Reuters, November 2023
Scientists show how to turn lunar soil fertile for agriculture | Reuters
Researchers develop oil-rich rice strain
China Daily, November 2023
Researchers develop oil-rich rice strain - Chinadaily.com.cn
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Gene editing: How it works and what it could do for the dairy industry
Tad Sonstegard, Ag Proud, November 2023
Gene editing: How it works and what it could do for the dairy industry | Ag Proud
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How herbicide-tolerant varieties can make rice farming less water-intensive
The Federal, November 2023
How herbicide-tolerant varieties can make rice farming less water-intensive (thefederal.com)
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Striking the balance: Catalyzing a sustainable land-use transition
McKinsey, November 2023
Striking the balance: catalyzing a sustainable land use transition | McKinsey
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Global Agriculture Needs An Evergreen Revolution
Shely Aronov, Forbes, November 2023
Global Agriculture Needs An Evergreen Revolution (forbes.com)
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Speaking Up in Support of the Tools That Support Sustainable Agriculture
Gabriel Carballal, Global Farmer Network, November 2023
Speaking Up in Support of the Tools That Support Sustainable Agriculture – Global Farmer Network
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Cover crops help the climate and environment but most farmers say no. Many fear losing money
ABC News, November 2023
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Canola yields reach new heights
The Western Producer, November 2023
Canola yields reach new heights | The Western Producer
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Unilever unearths regen ag findings for Knorr and Hellmann’s: ‘The time for pilots is over. It’s time to go big’
Flora Southey, Food Navigator, November 2023
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Have UK’s Agri-Tech Centres achieved and what’s next?
Philip Clarke, Farmers Weekly, November 2023
Have UK's Agri-Tech Centres achieved and what's next? - Farmers Weekly (fwi.co.uk)
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Why can’t we just quit cows?
Naoki Nitta, Grist, November 2023
Why can't we just quit cows? | Grist
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Farmers, seed producers welcome science-based reform to EU gene editing rules
Mark Lynas, Alliance for Science, October 2023
Farmers, seed producers welcome science-based reform to EU gene editing rules - Alliance for Science
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Has the fight back by agriculture now been triggered?
Richard Wright, The Scottish Farmer, October 2023
Has the fight back by agriculture now been triggered? | The Scottish Farmer
Surge in cotton production good news for Pakistan's textile industry
The Nation, October 2023
Surge in cotton production good news for Pakistan's textile industry (nation.com.pk)
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Why restrictive agroecology can’t be a solution to food insecurity in Africa
Otieno Panya, Business Daily, October 2023
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Resurrection of Plant Breeding Innovation in the EU?
Petra Jorasch, Seed World Europe, October 2023
Resurrection of Plant Breeding Innovation in the EU? - Seed World Europe (european-seed.com)
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CRISPR chickens hint at what’s next for the gene-modified food chain
Fast Company, October 2023
CRISPR chickens hint at what's next for the gene-edited food chain (fastcompany.com)
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Seeds of Uncertainty: Our Industry Needs to Prepare for What’s Coming
Marc Zienkiewicz, Seed World, October 2023
Seeds of Uncertainty: Our Industry Needs to Prepare for What’s Coming - Seed World US
‘Win for science’ as French court dismisses defamation lawsuit by anti-GMO scientist Seralini
Alliance for Science, 19 October 2023
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Gene editing in pigs – making the case for a potentially revolutionary technology
Alistair Driver, Pig World, October 2023
China Approves GM Corn and Soybean Seed Varieties in Crop Boost
Bloomberg, 18 October 2023
China Approves GM Corn and Soybean Seed Varieties in Crop Boost (yahoo.com)
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Could superpowered plants be the heroes of the climate crisis?
Zoe Corbyn, The Observer, October 2023
Could superpowered plants be the heroes of the climate crisis? | Climate crisis | The Guardian
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Science wins as Kenyan court dismisses landmark case against GMOs
Godfrey Ombogo, Alliance for Science, October 2023
Science wins as Kenyan court dismisses landmark case against GMOs - Alliance for Science
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Glyphosate safer than hot water for bees, says Amenity Forum
Horticulture Week, October 2023
Glyphosate safer than hot water for bees, says Amenity Forum | HortWeek
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Enteric emissions: Should cattle be excused for their belches?
Judson Christopherson, SAI Food, October 2023
Enteric Emissions: Should Cattle Be Excused For Their Belches? - SAIFood
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We don’t need to choose between global starvation and climate chaos
Jemima Lewis, The Telegraph, October 2023
We don’t need to choose between global starvation and climate chaos (telegraph.co.uk)
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Full short-term ban on glyphosate could be counterproductive
Wageningen University & Research, October 2023
Full short-term ban on glyphosate could be counterproductive - WUR
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There Is Nothing 'Natural' About Organic Farming And If You Care About 'Sustainable', You Need Science
Hank Campbell, Science 2.0, October 2023
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Time for a national conversation about GE?
Wayne Langford, Farmers Weekly (NZ), October 2023
Time for a national conversation about GE? (farmersweekly.co.nz)
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The Global State of New Gene Editing Techniques Used for Food-Producing Animals
Food Safety News, October 2023
Do GMOs fit into a regenerative agriculture system?
Amanda Zalukyj, AgDaily, October 2023
Do GMOs fit into a regenerative agriculture system? | AGDAILY
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The Cruel Fantasies of Well-Fed People
George Monbiot, October 2023
The Cruel Fantasies of Well-Fed People – George Monbiot
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The Inhibition of Innovation
David J. Bertioli & Henry I. Miller, Cato Institute, October 2023
The Inhibition of Innovation | Cato Institute
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Tropic brings novel gene editing approach to corn and soybeans via Corteva partnership
AgFunder News, 3 October 2023
Tropic, Corteva bring gene editing to corn and soybeans (agfundernews.com)
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Canada must reject ideological EU farm practices
National Newswatch, October 2023
Canada must reject ideological EU farm practices | National Newswatch
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Is organic better? Not if you follow the evidence, researcher says
Harvard Gazette, September 2023
Is organic better? – Harvard Gazette
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There's no evidence eating organic is better for you, study finds
Body & Soul, September 2023
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GMOs are part of the solution, not the problem
Jacob Unruh, The Sunflower, September 2023
OPINION: GMOs are part of the solution, not the problem – The Sunflower
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If the Future Could Whisper, What Would It Say? CRISPR!
Ooma Dima, Seed World, September 2023
If the Future Could Whisper, What Would It Say? CRISPR! - Seed World
Could CRISPR save us from a future of food scarcity?
Jessica Byrne, thred, September 2023
Could CRISPR save us from a future of food scarcity? - Thred Website
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Technology, Not Climate, Will Determine the Future of our Food System
The Breakthrough Institute, September 2023
Technology, Not Climate, Will Determine… | The Breakthrough Institute
Farmers in Ireland ‘losing competitiveness’ because of GM crops ban
Newstalk, 28 September 2023
Irish farmers 'losing competitiveness' because of GM crops ban | Newstalk
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I'm a Harvard researcher - this is why buying 'organic' food is a total con
Daily Mail, September 2023
I'm a Harvard researcher - this is why buying 'organic' food is a total con | Daily Mail Online
The Future is CRISPR
Modern Farmer, September 2023
The Future is CRISPR - Modern Farmer
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Canola’s opportunities abound as breeding, uses advance: IRC
Grain Central, 26 September 2023
Canola's opportunities abound as breeding, uses advance: IRC - Grain Central
VIDEO: How farmers can cut emissions
Attracta Mooney, Financial Times, September 2023
How farmers can cut emissions | FT Climate Capital | Financial Times
Plant protection products – where we stand on glyphosate
NFU, September 2023
NFU position on glyphosate – NFUonline
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Meet the Climate-Defying Fruits and Vegetables in Your Future
New York Times, 25 September 2023
Meet the Climate-Defying Fruits and Vegetables in Your Future - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Ancient Plant Protein Could Create Climate-Resilient Crops
Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, September 2023
Ancient Plant Protein Could Create Climate-Resilient Crops (forbes.com)
The Power of 'Magic Beans'
Jason Jenkins, Progressive Farmer, September 2023
The Power of 'Magic Beans' (dtnpf.com)
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Building food and agriculture businesses for a green future
McKinsey, September 2023
Building food and agriculture businesses for a green future | McKinsey
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What makes the politics of agricultural pesticides so explosive?
Bill Wirtz, Washington Post, September 2023
What makes the politics of agricultural pesticides so explosive? - Washington Times
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What scientists need to do to accelerate progress on the SDGs
Cameron Allen et al, Nature, September 2023
What scientists need to do to accelerate progress on the SDGs (nature.com)
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Beyond plastic – Consumers prefer food packaging derived from genetically modified plants
Ursula Weisenfeld et al, Research Policy, September 2023
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Europe’s Agriculture Reform Is Failing
Bill Wirtz, DC Journal, September 2023
Europe’s Agriculture Reform Is Failing – DC Journal - InsideSources
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Farming Feeds Billions But Climate Impacts Need Fixing
Michael Barnard, Forbes, September 2023
Farming Feeds Billions But Climate Impacts Need Fixing (forbes.com)
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Successful plant-based protein industry would help meat producers
Margaret Donnelly, Farming Independent, September 2023
‘Successful plant-based protein industry would help meat producers’ | Independent.ie
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It’s not your imagination, brussels sprouts do taste better. How gene editing is changing how we grow and eat food
Teresa Bjork, Iowa Farm Bureau, September 2023
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Canadian innovation beats EU precaution in agriculture sustainability
Stuart Smyth, Macdonald Laurier Institute, September 2023
‘Consumers have never cared more and known less about food’
Agriland, September 2023
'Consumers have never cared more and known less about food' - Agriland.ie
Lab grown fruit - scientists aim to break new ground with cellular horticulture research
Plant & Food Research, September 2023
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Majority of EU agri-council supports NGT deregulation
European Biotechnology, September 2023
Genetically engineered pink pineapples are flying off shelves: What gives them their distinctive color?
LiveScience, September 2023
Pink pineapples are in high demand | Live Science
In defence of modern agriculture: is the ‘old way’ always better?
Brendan O’Keefe, The Farmer, September 2023
In defence of modern agriculture: is the ‘old way’ always better? - The Farmer Magazine
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10 Reasons Why Being Anti-GMO Means Being Against Social Justice
Debunking Denialism, September 2023
10 Reasons Why Being Anti-GMO Means Being Against Social Justice - Debunking Denialism
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Illinois State University research on pennycress aims to go from weed to cash crop
Illinois Farmer Today, September 2023
Illinois State University research on pennycress aims to go from weed to cash crop (pantagraph.com)
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Chemical fertilizer is a climate disaster. Can high-tech biology fix it?
Canary Media, August 2023
Chemical fertilizer is a climate disaster. Can… | Canary Media
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10 longstanding nutrition myths, debunked by experts
Margaret Darby, Deseret News, August 2023,
The top 10 nutrition myths, debunked by experts - Deseret News
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How Are We Going To Feed The World? A New Mindset For Food Security
Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, August 2023
How Are We Going To Feed The World? A New Mindset For Food Security (ampproject.org)
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Genetically Modified Food to the Rescue?
Men’s Health, August 2023
The Benefits of Genetically Modified Food and Is It Safe? (menshealth.com)
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GMOs: Good, Man-Made Organisms
Angelica Walker-Werth, The Objective Standard, August 2023
GMOs: Good, Man-Made Organisms - The Objective Standard
Debunking Myths About Biotech Crops
Zoha Matin, Daily Times Pakistan, August 2023
Debunking Myths About Biotech Crops - Daily Times
Glyphosate, A.I. and Spreading Disinformation
Kevin Folta, Illumination 2.0, August 2023
Illumination 2.0: Glyphosate, A.I. and Spreading Disinformation (kfolta.blogspot.com)
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Why AI could be our best soldier in the war on climate change
Martin Rees, BBC Science Focus, August 2023
Why AI could be our best soldier in the war on climate change - BBC Science Focus Magazine
Pseudoscientists are “being rewarded for fearmongering”
Chandre Dharma-wardana, Brussels Morning, August 2023
Pseudoscientists are “being rewarded for fearmongering” - BM (brusselsmorning.com)
VIDEO: Are synthetic pesticides actually good for crops?
Josh Gilder, Mind Matters, August 2023
Are Synthetic Pesticides Actually Good for Crops? | Mind Matters
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Canadian farmers abandon organic certification because approved ‘natural’ chemicals can’t control devastating grasshoppers
Genetic Literacy Project, August 2023
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Glyphosate and the risk of unintended consequences
Greg Doud, Agri-Pulse, August 2023
Opinion: Glyphosate and the risk of unintended consequences | Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
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The Increasing Role of AI in Agriculture
Yogini Pawar, The Live Nagpur, August 2023
The Increasing Role of AI in Agriculture - The Live Nagpur
Regenerative agriculture. Will it provide a way forward for increased carbon?
Prof Gerry Boyle, Irish Farmers Journal, August 2023
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Imagine the kind of technology that would drive farming’s future
Amanda Zaluckiyj, AgDaily, August 2023
Imagine the kind of technology that would drive farming's future | AGDAILY
Why technology is the answer to Africa’s farm productivity challenges
The Nation, August 2023
Why technology is the answer to Africa’s farm productivity challenges | Nation
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Europe's Slow Embrace of Genetic-Food Engineering Reality
Bill Wirtz, Real Clear Markets, August 2023
Europe's Slow Embrace of Genetic-Food Engineering Reality | RealClearMarkets
Gene-edited mustard: Less pungent, more useful
The Indian Express, August 2023
Gene-edited mustard: Less pungent, more useful | Explained News - The Indian Express
Bangladesh adopts GM cotton
The Daily Star, August 2023
Bangladesh adopts GM cotton | Cotton Production in Bangladesh (thedailystar.net)
Chile’s Seed Sector Reaping Globalization’s Rewards
Seed World, August 2023
Chile’s Seed Sector Reaping Globalization’s Rewards - Seed World
With Access to the Right Tools, Africa will Help Feed the World
Patience Koku, Global Farmer Network, August 2023
With Access to the Right Tools, Africa will Help Feed the World – Global Farmer Network
How the meat and dairy sector resists competition from alternative animal products
Rob Jordan, Stanford News, August 2023
Can alternative meat compete? | Stanford News
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Mass panic over energy, yet we give up our food security without a murmur
Ed Conway, The Times, August 2023
Mass panic over energy, yet we give up our food security without a murmur (thetimes.co.uk)
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We’re in the lap of the gods’: UK farmers contend with extreme weather
Financial Times, August 2023
‘We’re in the lap of the gods’: UK farmers contend with extreme weather | Financial Times
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Oppenheimer Reminds Scientists to Speak Up for a Better World
Dan Correa, Scientific American, August 2023
Oppenheimer Reminds Scientists to Speak Up for a Better World - Scientific American
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The European Union Is Finally Coming Around to Gene-Edited Seeds
Zion Lights, Quillette, August 2023
The European Union Is Finally Coming Around to Gene-Edited Seeds (quillette.com)
Greenpeace’s Vile War on the Poor and Vulnerable
Henry I. Miller & Rob Wager, European Scientist, August 2023
Greenpeace’s Vile War on the Poor and Vulnerable (europeanscientist.com)
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Digital orchard will bear fruit
New Zealand Herald, August 2023
Digital orchard will bear fruit - NZ Herald
Creating food out of thin air
Jesse Klein, GreenBiz, August 2023
Creating food out of thin air | Greenbiz
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VIDEO: What doesn’t kill you…the dose makes the poison
Kite and Key Media, August 2023
How Science Can Help Us Distinguish Fake Health Scares from Real Ones (kiteandkeymedia.com)
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How Wasted Food Turns into Huge Amounts of Greenhouse Gas
Deepa Padmanaban, Scientific American, August 2023
Stories by Deepa Padmanaban News and Research - Scientific American
Why we should embrace gene editing
Colin Campbell, The Herald, August 2023
Why we should embrace gene editing | HeraldScotland
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NASA technology can detect plant diseases from above
Earth.com, August 2023
NASA technology can detect plant diseases from above • Earth.com
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Africa’s anti-GMO activists spread myths and fear but do not provide any scientific evidence
Alex Abutu, Alliance for Science, August 2023
Eco-extremism is making us all sick
Zoe Strimpel, The Telegraph, August 2023
Eco-extremism is making us all sick (telegraph.co.uk)
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Biological Solutions to Climate Challenges Deserve More Attention
L. Val Giddings, ITIF, August 2023
Biological Solutions to Climate Challenges Deserve More Attention | ITIF
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Experts defend safety of GMO products
China Daily, August 2023
Experts defend safety of GMO products - Chinadaily.com.cn
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5.2-billion-letter genome is decoded for better bread
Interesting Engineering, August 2023
5.2-billion-letter genome is decoded for better bread (interestingengineering.com)
Feeding the Future: 10 Innovations That Will Transform Food Security
Devdiscourse, August 2023
Feeding the Future: 10 Innovations That Will Transform Food Security | Technology (devdiscourse.com)
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How Sustainable Farming On Land And Sea Can Work Together To Meet Our Growing Need For Protein
Steven Savage, Forbes, August 2023
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Scientists Made A Healthy Crop Healthier
USDA, July 2023
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GM crops replace organic farming as the new buzzword
Times of India, July 2023
Soil organic carbon stocks potentially at risk of decline with organic farming expansion
Gaudaré et al, Nature Climate Change, July 2023
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FAO official: EU shouldn’t sacrifice food output in sustainability’s name
Gerardo Fortuna, Euractiv, July 2023
FAO official: EU shouldn’t sacrifice food output in sustainability’s name – EURACTIV.com
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'CRISPR' crops more resilient in climate crisis
Robert Paarlberg, China Daily, July 2023
'CRISPR' crops more resilient in climate crisis - Opinion - Chinadaily.com.cn
How to Manage the Global Land Squeeze? Produce, Protect, Reduce, Restore
World Resources Institute, July 2023
What's Causing the Global Land Squeeze? | World Resources Institute (wri.org)
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Want to Make EU Agriculture More Sustainable?
Emma Kovak, The Breakthrough Institute, July 2023
Want to Make EU Agriculture More… | The Breakthrough Institute
10 New Foods Coming To Our Plates In The Next 10 Years
Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, July 2023
10 New Foods Coming To Our Plates In The Next 10 Years (forbes.com)
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Learning to love rbST
Chris Gambino, The Breakthrough Institute, July 2023
Learning to Love rbST | The Breakthrough Institute
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EU proposal on CRISPR-edited crops is welcome — but not enough
Devang Mehta, Nature, July 2023
EU proposal on CRISPR-edited crops is welcome — but not enough (nature.com)
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Concerned about aspartame? Beware of this other “probable carcinogen” on your plate
Kevin Folta, Genetic Literacy Project, July 2023
Lean times hit the vertical farming business
BBC News, July 2023
Lean times hit the vertical farming business - BBC News
NGT: The European Commission plays a ”simultaneously” approach
Catherine Regnault Roger, European Scientist, July 2023
NGT: The European Commission plays a " simultaneously” approach (europeanscientist.com)
Scotland has bigger problems than the 'translocation of beavers'
Brian Wilson, The Herald, July 2023
Scotland has bigger problems than the 'translocation of beavers' | HeraldScotland
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SNP and Greens need to rethink opposition to gene-edited crops
John Lamont, The Scotsman, July 2023
John Lamont: SNP and Greens need to rethink opposition to gene-edited crops | The Scotsman
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Policy makers, genetic engineers, and an engaged public can work together to create climate-resilient plants
Archibald B. et al, Plos Biology, July 2023
Agrifood Brief: Co-existential crisis
Euractiv, July 2023
Agrifood Brief: Co-existential crisis – EURACTIV.com
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Europe may finally choose science over ideology
Editorial, Western Producer, July 2023
Europe may finally choose science over ideology | The Western Producer
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What's Driving The Fear-And-Smear Campaign Against Genetic Engineering?
Henry Miller & Rob Wager, ACSH, July 2023
Once a world leader in innovation, the US is now falling behind
Cathy Burns & Andy LaVigne, AgriPulse, July 2023
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Fertilizer company OCI bets big on climate-friendly ammonia
Reuters, July 2023
Focus: Fertilizer company OCI bets big on climate-friendly ammonia | Reuters
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