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Biotechnology
in the News
Brochures
& Magazines
Free Biotechnology
Material Available for Audiences of Adults or Children
The
Council for Biotechnology Information has information available
at no charge and in a variety of formats for audiences ranging
from adult consumers to school children.
Animal Scientists
Say Biotech Animal Feeds Are Safe
The
meat, milk and eggs from animals that have consumed biotech feed
are safe for human consumption, according to a new brochure from
the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS).
Plant Scientists
Support Biotech Crops in New Brochure
A
brochure produced by the San Diego Center for Molecular Agriculture
calls agricultural scientists and farmers "the true heroes
of our time" for their work to improve crops and allow food
production to keep pace with population growth.
Biotech and You!
A New Online Magazine
The
Council for Biotechnology Information has added the online magazine
"Biotech and You!"
Allergens
New Soybean Designed
to Avoid Allergic Reaction
Using biotechnology,
a new variety of soybean may soon be developed that does not
cause allergic reactions, according to scientists at the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
Food Industry Alliance
Announces Allergen Labeling Guidelines
The
National Food Processors Association (NFPA) joins with its partners
from industry and consumer organizations in the Food Allergy
Issues Alliance to announce publication of the consensus document,
Food Allergen Labeling Guidelines.
Antibiotics
Genetic Engineering
Speeds Development of New Antibiotics
Our
world is full of all kinds of bacteria – the good, the bad
and the innocuous. Most often, it’s the bad bacteria that
catch our attention with their health-stealing antics. But sometimes,
as the old adage goes, it takes a thief to catch a thief.
Plant Hormones Form
Basis of New Anti-Cancer Drugs
A
hormone used by plants to control their growth is being harnessed
by British researchers to develop new targeted treatments for
cancer.
Bovine
Somatotropin
Background on Bovine Somatotropin
On
November 5, 1993, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
the first biotechnological product for animal production, bovine
somatotropin (bST) for commercial use. This action ushered in
a remarkable new era for animal agriculture and the dairy industry.
Butterflies
Bt Corn Is No Risk
to Monarchs, But Mother Nature Is
The
often-contentious issue about whether or not Bt corn poses any
significant risk to Monarch Butterflies finally appears to have
been settled. A consortium of federal, university and industry
scientists have completed two years of research to answer the
question: Does Bt corn pose a threat to Monarch Butterflies?
The answer by this renowned group of experts is that "there
is no significant risk."
Web Page Assesses
Bt Corn Risk to Butterflies
No
significant risk to monarch butterflies exists from environmental
exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn, according to research
by a group of scientists under the direction of the USDA Agricultural
Research Service.
EPA Reports Little
Risk to Monarch Butterflies From Biotech Corn
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report
September 4 stating Bacillus thruingiensis (Bt) corn poses little
risk to monarch butterflies. The EPA report said while there
is a small chance that one in 100,000 monarch caterpillars could
be affected by toxic corn pollen, research suggests even those
larvae will mature into healthy butterflies.
Canola
Let Them Eat Canola
With
China and India embracing biotechnology's hopeful promise of
ending hunger and malnutrition among their combined 2.3 billion
citizens, America's well-fed activists are showing signs of desperation.
USDA Must Regulate
Unapproved GMO Crops, Corn Growers Say
The
American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) is concerned that federal
agencies responsible for guaranteeing the security of the U.S.
food supply are not taking their role seriously enough when it
comes to preventing the release of genetically modified (GMO)
commodity varieties that are not approved for human consumption
into the marketing system.
Monsanto Says Crops
May Contain Genetically-Modified Canola Seed
Monsanto believes
that some of its canola seed might contain genetically modified
material that isn't federally approved, the Wall Street Journal
reported. Angling to avoid a massive recall of food products,
the company is asking regulators to forgive any presence of it.
Carrots
Purple Carrots To
Go On Sale
The carrot
is to return to its roots when it goes on sale in what's said
to be its true colour of purple this summer.
Carrots
May Help Fight Hepatitis B
Researchers
at Giessen University in Germany have grown genetically modified
carrots to help fight hepatitis B, hoping to dramatically cut
the cost of preventing the disease.
Cheese
Some Cheesemakers
Now Use Biotech Enzyme
The cheesemaking
process varies some with the type of cheese, but all basically
use the same method.
Consumer
Opinions
Purdue Study Finds
People Can Accept Biotech
A new Purdue
University study soon to be published in the "Journal of
the American College of Nutrition" has found that U.S. consumers
are more accepting of biotechnology when presented with sound,
science-based information.
Most Americans Expect
Benefits from Food Biotechnology
A survey conducted
for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that
most Americans - 61 percent - believe and can state how biotechnology
will benefit them or their families in the next five years.
Polls Find Biotech
Remains Fairly Obscure to Americans
Two
recently conducted U.S. consumer polls have found that the growing
use of genetic modification in food is not fully understood by
most Americans.
Americans Want More Biotech
Food Info
Three-quarters of U.S. consumers want to know if their food contains
biotech ingredients, according to a public opinion poll released
in March 2001 by the Pew Charitable Trust.
Farmer
Opinions
Corn Growers Survey
Shows High-Level Management of Biotech Hybrids
Corn
growers continue to show responsible management of the environment
by practicing good stewardship of crops developed through biotechnology,
according to a February 5, 2002 statement by the National Corn
Growers Association (NCGA).
Biotech Crops Yield
Quandary for Farmers
Farmers
are grappling with a decision upon which their livelihoods depend.
Do the benefits of growing crops constructed in a laboratory
outweigh the concerns that have started to arise?
Fish
Genetically Engineered
Fish Could Signal Environmental Health Hazards
University
of Georgia researcher Richard Winn has patented a tiny, genetically
engineered fish to help assess health hazards in the environment.
Winn, a toxicologist in UGA's Warnell School of Forest Resources,
worked for five years to develop the transgenic fish, a guppie-sized
Japanese medaka that carries a gene scientists can use to gauge
the damaging effects of chemical contaminants on the body.
History
Scientist Answers
Biotech Questions With History Lesson
In
an article in the May 2001 issue of Plant Physiology entitled,
"The Genetically Modified Crop Debate in the Context of
Agricultural Evolution," Channapatna S. Prakash, of the
Center for Plant Biotechnology Research at Tuskegee University,
poses typical questions asked about biotech crops.
UN: Technology Can
Help Development
The world's
richest nations must get over their fear of genetically engineered
food if they want to help eradicate poverty in the world's poorest,
a United Nations report says.
U.S. Farmers Increase
Biotech Seed Plantings
Biotech crop
plantings in the United States continue to surpass government
expectations, according to an Agriculture Department report released
June 19, 2001.
Labeling
Oregon Measure Aims
at Modified Foods
The
food industry is mounting a major effort to scuttle the first
attempt by a state to require labels on genetically engineered
foods.
Europeans Can't
Tell Modified Food by Their Labels, Study Finds
A
recent research study of European consumers' behavior toward
genetically modified foods reinforces the common paradox that
consumer opinion and actual behavior tend to differ.
GMA Says Massachusetts Mandatory
Labeling Bill "Unnecessary And Redundant"
The
Grocery Manufacturers of America urged members of the Massachusetts
Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor to reject a state proposal
requiring mandatory labels for biotech foods.
Legal
Issues
Biotechnology Regulations
Considered at State Levels
Three federal
government agencies have responsibility for regulating agricultural
biotechnology through a coordinated framework: the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Organic
Farming
Organic
Farming Would 'Level Most of Our Forests,' Critic Charges
The
expansion of organic farming would mean the eventual destruction
of most of the world's forests, according to a Nobel Prize winning
scientist.
Pharmaceuticals
From the Pages of
the January 2002 Edition of Top Producer Magazine
When
Iowa corn growers Bill and Joe Horan envision the future, they
see crops that not only feed the world, but vaccinate and medicate
it, too.
Potatoes
Scientists
Create Beetle-Resistant Potato
Scientists
from the United States and Russia have developed a biotech potato
that is resistant to the Colorado beetle, a pest that was introduced
into Russia's potato fields from U.S. food shipments.
Reports
Next Generation
of Biotech Crops Focuses on Improving Nutrition
Plant scientists
are developing new crop varieties that have more direct consumer
benefits, according to a report given at a recent conference
in Istanbul, Turkey. These new varieties range from soybeans
that yield healthier vegetable oil to coffee beans that contain
no caffeine.
U.S. Farmers to
Plant More Biotech Crops in 2002
A USDA survey
indicates that U.S. farmers will sow more genetically modified
corn, soybeans and cotton in 2002 than last year. The report
did not indicate farmer intentions for any other transgenic crop
varieties.
More Biotechnology
Crops Being Planted Worldwide
Worldwide plantings
of genetically modified (GM) crops increased 20 percent in 2001
and are expected to increase another 10 percent in 2002, according
to scientist Clive James, chairman of the International Service
for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).
Rice
Imagine a Healthier
World
Golden
rice is probably the most celebrated biotechnology project in
the world, but maybe the name ought to be changed. As American
history tells us, the promise of gold can inspire passions to
the point that people lose perspective.
Scientists Now Have
'Map' of Rice Plant Genes
Scientists
from China, Switzerland and the United States have sequenced
the entire rice genome, which they hope will lead to improved
crops and better ways of feeding a hungry world. They say that
producing a so-called map of rice could have a more immediate
impact than sequencing the human genome.
Europe's 'Golden'
Rice Arrives in Asia Amid Controversy
After
nearly a decade of research in Europe, the much-acclaimed "golden
rice" has finally arrived in Asia, its intended destination.
Scientist
Opinions
The Safety of Genetically Modified Foods Produced Through Biotechnology
The
available scientific evidence indicates that the potential adverse
health effects arising from biotechnology-derived foods are not
different in nature from those created by conventional breeding
practices for plant, animal, or microbial enhancement, and are
already familiar to toxicologists. It is therefore important
to recognize that it is the food product itself, rather than
the process through which it is made, that should be the focus
of attention in assessing safety.
Scientists
Identify Protein that Helps Plants Fight Disease
Scientists
from the Noble Foundation in the U.S., along with teams from
the UK, Scotland and Canada, have discovered a protein that assists
plants resist disease.
Harvesting a Bounty
in Biotech
Leading scientists
now believe that plant biotechnology can reduce pesticide use.
Biotechnology Helps
Protect U.S. Food Crops From Pests
Biotechnology
is helping control diseases and pests that take a bite out of
U.S.-grown crops, resulting in more food production at lower
costs and with less reliance upon pesticides, according to a
comprehensive study released here at BIO 2002.
Warning: Starbucks
Protestors Spread False Fears About Safe Foods
Caveat
Emptor. Consumers and journalists beware-Anti-biotechnology activists
engaged in a week of "direct action" at Starbucks Coffee
shops this week aim to target you over the next few days with
false and misleading information about food safety, nutrition
and the environment.
Organic Milk Shakedown:
A Recipe with a Bad Aftertaste
Start
with one large, well-known company which prides and markets itself
on a record of corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Add a dose of false and misleading health claims, a dash of fear
and a healthy serving of threats. Shake (down) vigorously. Repeat.
Repeat. Repeat...
Animal Science Group
Declares Safety of Biotech Animal Feeds
The
meat, milk and eggs from animals that have been fed biotech feed
are safe for human consumption, according to a new brochure from
the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS).
Report to be Issued
in September Says Biotech Crops Fare Well
Leonard
P. Gianessi, president of the National Center for Food and Agriculture
Policy was cited as telling BIO 2001 that biotechnology has been
applied to virtually every crop planted in the States and has
produced some dramatic results against viruses and insects that
have rampaged through U.S. fields in the past and pose potential
threats for the future, adding, "The technology has been
working perfectly."
Scientists Praise Biotech
Crops, Backlash Cited
Genetic experts Monday hailed the potential of genetically modified
food to help reduce the need for chemical pesticides but also
warned of a potential public backlash against the use of biotechnology
in the food supply.
Silk
Scientists Weave
Spider Silk Into New Bulletproof Vests
A
product that spiders have been crafting for perhaps 400 million
years is being developed to protect military and law enforcement
personnel.
Soybeans
Will China Continue
to Buy US Soybeans?
AFBF
has learned that China has agreed to an interim procedure that
will allow the import of biotech products, including soybeans
and corn from the U.S., while it continues to develop more permanent
implementation procedures for its regulation of biotech products.
Study Finds Biotech
Soybeans Benefit Environment
The
availability of soybean seeds enhanced through biotechnology
has encouraged farmers to use reduced tillage practices that
protect farmland from erosion, according to a study by the American
Soybean Association (ASA).
Belgian Research
Dismisses Concerns About Biotech Soybeans
U.S.
grain industry experts on Friday said it is unlikely that the
recent discovery of unidentifiable gene fragments in biotech
soybeans will dent U.S. export levels. The analysts said there
are no similarities between this discovery and last year's circumstances
when an unapproved variety of biotech corn was discovered in
food products on store shelves.
Questions Raised
About Biotech Soybeans
The
August 16, 2001 issue of the New York Times cites a study
by Belgian government and university scientists who found mysterious
DNA in Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans.
Biotech Soybean Seed Helps
Growers Produce Safe and Profitable Crops
The numbers for biotechnology speak louder than words: In 1996,
when biotech soybean seedstock first became available commercially,
U.S. farmers planted only about 1 million acres of biotech varieties,
which represented less than 2% of the total soybean acres planted
that year…
Starlink
Corn
Judge OKs Biotech Corn Settlement
A federal judge
approved a $9 million settlement Thursday in a class-action lawsuit
by consumers who complained of allergic reactions to genetically
modified corn in supermarket products.
Scientists Point to Lessons
Learned from Starlink Scare
"Eat,
drink and be wary of those who try to scare you about the safety
of your food." That was the message issued today by food
safety scientists at the American Council on Science and Health
who noted that the scare about bioenginEered foods was distorted
and exaggerated--and completely without scientific merit.
CDC Reports StarLink Did Not
Cause Allergic Reactions
In a report
issued June 13, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
announced that its investigation did not find any evidence that
hypersensitivity to the Cry9c protein contained in StarLink corn
was responsible for the self-reported allergic responses that
people experienced last fall.
Strawberries
Insect AntiFreeze
A
few years ago, researchers kicked up controversy by proposing
to create frost-resistant strawberries by spiking the plants
with fish genes – specifically, with the gene for making
a protein that helps fish survive in frigid water.
Timber
The Test Tube Forest
Scientists
are rapidly developing technology for genetically engineering
fast-growing supertrees. The economic advantages for timber companies
seem clear. The environmental repercussions are less certain.
Tobacco
Scientists
Focus on the Tobacco Plant as Possible Cancer-Fighter
Tobacco
may be the most maligned crop growing on Earth, a plant blamed
for millions of deaths around the globe. But today, in a greenhouse
in Giles County, Va., a scruffy patch of tobacco is being cultivated
for a singular, ironic purpose - to see if it holds the key to
treating certain cancers.
Tobacco Likely Next Bioengineered
Crop to Enter Marketplace
From
cereal to corn chips, Americans consume a variety of products
made from genetically engineered crops. They can soon add cigarettes
to the list – new smokes are due this spring made from tobacco
genetically altered to be very low in nicotine.
Mississippi
Farmers Grow Nicotine-Free Tobacco
Mississippi,
a pioneer in making cigarette makers pay billions of dollars
for smoking-related illnesses, is now home to a crop of tobacco
that the developer touts as being virtually nicotine-free.
Tomatoes
Cancer-Fighting
Tomatoes Get U.S. Consumer Vote
Cancer-fighting
tomatoes and bananas that protect against sexually transmitted
diseases top the list of advancements being made in biotech food,
according to Americans surveyed by an industry group.
Developing GM Tomatoes:
An Uphill Struggle
While researchers
announced last week that they can genetically engineer a longer-lasting,
better-tasting tomato, some former employees of US biotechnology
company Calgene greeted the news with bemusement and a sense
of deja vu.
Genetically Engineered
Tomato Plant Grows in Salty Water
A genetically
engineered tomato plant that thrives in salty irrigation water
and may hold the key to one of agriculture's greatest dilemmas
has been developed by plant biologists at the University of California,
Davis, and the University of Toronto.
GM Tomato 'Reduces Risk of
Disease'
A genetically modified tomato that protects against cancer and
heart disease has been developed by British scientists.
Wheat
Salt-Loving Wheat to Be Produced
in Australia
An American
salt-tolerant wild wheat may rescue the Australian agriculture.
Gene-Spliced Wheat
Stirs Global Fears
Agricultural
scientists have developed the first genetically engineered variety
of wheat designed for sale to farmers, stirring intense controversy
around the globe years before it is expected to come onto the
market.
Industry Committee
Formed to Advise on Biotech Wheat
Monsanto has
formed a wheat industry advisory committee to provide advice
and counsel on how best to bring forward biotechnology products
in wheat. |
