A major international conference scientific meeting titled “Risk Assessment in Agricultural Biotechnology” was held at the University of California, Davis. It was sponsored by the College of Agriculture, The National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and the USDA. It included presentations by eminent scientists from around the world and covered a wide range of topics including potential effects on non-target organisms, potential health effects, ecological risks, and the potential for “gene flow” for various crops. There was extensive discussion of how to best regulate this technology, and what monitoring methods were appropriate. There was also a discussion
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  68 comments  Conference Reporting, Guest Post, Science & Society  Genetic Engineering, GMO, GMO crops, precaution, Risk assessment, UC Davis Yesterday, Newsnight on BBC2 hosted a discussion about the genetically engineered possibly-aphid-repelling wheat underway at the Rothamsted Station in the UK. It featured John Pickett from Rothamsted, Tracey Brown from Sense About Science, Lawrence Woodward who is a former head of the Soil Association, and Jyoti Fernandes representing the protest group, Take the Flour Back. Have a watch while it is still up on YouTube: 45 comments Science, Science & Society Genetic Engineering, Genetics, GMO, Science Communication, UK, Vandalism, Wheat From GMO Pundit Blog The French (and other Europeans) are currently exporting disease to the United States in the form of measles infections. This post attempts to put on the record where this problem comes from. It comes from beliefs in complementary and alternative therapies as a substitute for conventional medical treatment (CAM). We start out documenting the large outbreaks of infectious disease in France, then provide an illustration of the forthright and opinionated expression of alternative medical ideas in that country, and finish with a compilation of the orthodox medical literature that dissects this sets of events. The Here is some interesting weekend reading for you. Peter Kareiva, chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, wrote an essay questioning the strategies of environmentalists and conservationists. He argued that their movement is failing – both in its goal to protect ecosystems and helping people to recognize their dependence on those ecosystems. He is also challenging the narrative of nature as always being fragile – when it can often be resilient. Now there is a great feature-length article at E&E news that brings together Kareiva, his critics, and even such people as Stewart Brand who have made similar realizations – that |
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GMO Labeling And “The China Scenario”
When asked, “Do you want foods that contain GMOs to be labeled?” most US consumers say, “Yes.” To those unfamiliar with the food system, this sounds like a simple request. The reality is that GMO labeling would be very complicated because it involves “negative identity preservation in low value, commodity channels.” (I’ll unpack that terminology below.) The best precedent for what that would mean is what has happened with certified Organic grains and grain-based ingredients. Over time, the Organic industry has shifted towards more and more off-shore sourcing of such foods – particularly from places like China. Many of the