Archived News

2005

Company Engineers Safflower Plants for Insulin
29 December 2005 CBC Canada
Safflower, a plant used as cooking oil, is being tested by a Canadian company to determine if it can make a safe, pure and cheaper form of insulin.

US '06 Gasoline Sales to Meet Ethanol Standard: EPA
28 December 2005 Reuters
The Environmental Protection Agency said on Wednesday it expects the U.S. oil industry will meet the EPA's new standard that requires 2.78 percent of gasoline sold next year to be renewable fuel, such as ethanol.

Soybean Traits on Deck
28 December 2005 AgWeb
The first wave of new traits will be enhanced glyphosate-tolerance traits. Next are yield traits, then resistance to drought, disease and insects.

Onion Experiment Shines Light on GM Food
27 December 2005 The Daily Telegraph
The experiment, a part of the Royal Institution Christmas lectures that started on Channel 5 yesterday, will be seen on Friday and is aimed at informing youngsters that GM crops could help feed the world.

Are You Having an Organic Christmas?
25 December 2005 The Times
Unfortunately for those who have chosen to pay the "organic premium" on their Christmas food shopping, there is no real evidence to substantiate these claims.

Max Planck Researchers Make Breakthrough in Plant Stem Cell Research
23 December 2005 Max Planck Institute
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany have determined how plants regulate how many stem cells they have.

Bacterial Protein Mimics Host to Cripple Defenses
23 December 2005 Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a protein from a disease-causing bacterium slips into plant cells and imitates a key host protein in order to cripple the plant’s defenses.

Germany Starts Sowing GM Seeds
22 December 2005 Deutsche Welle
In a sharp departure from existing policy, Germany's new agriculture minister is promoting genetically modified technology instead of organic farming.

Membrane Research Offers Opportunity to Benefit Plants, Humans
22 December 2005 University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
A wilting, water-starved houseplant and flood-covered crops have something in common. That knowledge, gleaned from spinach and researchers on two continents, potentially could open the gate to advances in both plant and human health.

German Minister Okays GM Crops
22 December 2005 The Scientist
Germany's new food, agriculture, and consumer protection minister, Horst Seehofer, has announced strong support for genetically modified (GM) agriculture and crop research.

EU Warns France, Germany over Lapses in GMO Laws
21 December 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
France and Germany received final warnings on Tuesday of legal action and possible fines unless they quickly update their national laws on genetically modified (GMO) foods and crops, the European Commission said.

Improved Rice Cultivation to Reduce Hunger in Africa
21 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Exploring the potential for growing rice in such conditions may help Africa reduce hunger and poverty.

Oxylipins Defend Plants, Delay Microbe Growth
21 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Some studies have shown that they work to protect the plant from harmful microbes, and can contribute to the regulation of plant cell death.

Indian Researchers to Speed up 'Golden Rice' Yield
21 December 2005 Financial Express
Intense efforts are under way for commercial production of genetically-engineered 'golden rice' which can help prevent blindness by boosting vitamin A intake bolstered by a new strain.

Canada PM Pledges to Require Biofuel in Gasoline
21 December 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin pledged Tuesday to require that biofuel be included in gasoline and diesel by the end of 2010 if he is reelected in January.

Breaking the Mold: Research Teams Sequence Three Fungus Genomes
21 December 2005 The Institute for Genomic Research
The most common mold causing infection, A. fumigatus triggers allergic reactions, asthma attacks--and even deadly infections among people with weakened immune systems.

European Commission Supports New Developments in Biotechnology
20 December 2005 EUROPA
The European Commission today presents “100 Technology offers stemming from EU Biotechnology RTD results”, a catalogue of biotechnology developments arising from EU-funded research projects over the last 10 years.

Dead Sea Fungus's Survival in Saline Conditions May Help Crops
20 December 2005 New Scientist
An extraordinary fungus that manages to thrive in the super-salty Dead Sea could one day open up new genetic approaches to creating crops that can tolerate saline soils.

Effective, Safe Anthrax Vaccine Can Be Grown in Plants
20 December 2005 University of Central Florida
Enough anthrax vaccine to inoculate everyone in the United States could be grown inexpensively and safely with only one acre of tobacco plants, a University of Central Florida molecular biologist has found.

Monsanto Assists 140,000 Farmers In Malawi With Hybrid Seed
20 December 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto announced today its decision to donate 700 metric tons (mt) of quality hybrid corn seeds in Malawi, an equivalent donation of $840,000.

Herbicide Found to Raise Soy Defenses
20 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Graham concludes that lactofen has the potential to be a disease resistance-inducing agent

Ears of Plenty
20 December 2005 The Economist
Genetic modification, which has transformed maize, rice and soyabeans, has largely passed wheat by-to such an extent that it is in danger of becoming an "orphan crop".

Questions and Answers on the Regulation of GMOs in the European Union
19 December 2005 EUROPA
A genetically modified organism (GMO) or a GM food or feed product can only be put on the market in the EU after it has been authorised on the basis of a detailed procedure.

Study Shows that Biofortified Rice Increases Iron Status in Women
19 December 2005 Hematology Week
In a 9-month, double-blind study, the iron status of women who ate biofortified, iron-rich rice was 20% higher than in women who ate traditional rice.

A Heartier Harvest from Rigid Rice Plants
19 December 2005 Scientific American
The new plant produced more than 30 percent more grain than regular rice plants without the generous helpings of fertilizer commonly used today.

Making the Grade
17 December 2005 Clovis News Journal
Regionally grown cotton, once used primarily for denim, is now "suitable for the finer fabrics of life, like dress shirts, sheets, and better quality clothes," due to investments in genetically modified cotton seeds.

Virtues of Ethanol Look Good to Florida
17 December 2005 St. Petersburg Times
Long overlooked as an important source of renewable energy, ethanol appears poised to become Florida's favored new transportation fuel as part of the state's future energy strategy.

Maize Genome Analyzed
16 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Maize, though important to trade and science, is a crop whose genome is still incompletely sequenced.

TV Fit for Public Consumption
16 December 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Here's one new show that's definitely worth watching: "America's Heartland"--a high-quality program on how our nation grows food for itself and the rest of the world.

Gene Makes Plants Live in Cold
16 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
By using the AOX1a gene, transforming Arabidopsis plants with it, and monitoring the growth of the plants at 12°C, researchers found that plants thrived and survived the low temperature.

India Holds Dialogue on Bt Cotton
16 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
A one-day National Dialogue on the ‘Resurgence of Cotton’ was recently held at the Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology in Mumbai, India

IITA Project to Increase Awareness of Biotech in Nigeria
16 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has established the Nigeria Agriculture and Biotechnology Project (NABP) to assist the government to enhance institutional and scientific capacity to conduct biotechnological research, implement priority regulatory guidelines, and increase public awareness of biotechnology.

Quarterly Update on China's Ag-Biotech Scene Now Available
16 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
China’s Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (CABIC) has just released “Crop Biotech Update in China”, a summary of current developments in China’s agri-biotech scene, written in English and composed for the global audience.

Animal Gene Renders Tobacco Resistant to Parasitic Weed
15 December 2005 Checkbiotech.org
The parasitic plant species Orobanche can cause enormous yield losses. An American-Israeli research team has now been able to genetically engineer tobacco plants to enhance their resistance against Orobanche.

NCGR Announces University and Industry Collaboration to Sequence Genome Pathogen of Vegetables
15 December 2005 The National Center for Genome Resources
The collaborators will provide sequence information to researchers nationwide using the world-wide-web through the Phytophthora Functional Genomics Database.

Maize Genetics and Genomics Database Available on Website
15 December 2005 Agricultural Research Service USDA
Need some detailed data on the genetics and genomics of maize? Then the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Iowa State University (ISU) have just the website for you.

First Ever GM Plants Approved in Germany
15 December 2005 Associated Press via Checkbiotech.org
The German Federal Office for Plant Registration will allow three genetically modified maize varieties to be cultivated in Germany.

Challenges in 2005-2006: Another Year, Another Food Crisis
15 December 2005 InterPress News Service via allAfrica
Maize, the staple food in Southern Africa, is ill-adapted to cope with drought - something that has spelt disaster for parts of the region that have experienced erratic rainfall in recent years.

Gene Genie
14 December 2005 Gene Genie
Gene Genie is an Australian online resource created to provide information about genetically modified (GM) food and crops.

Anyway You Slice It, Tomatoes Cut Through Drought with New Gene
14 December 2005 AgNews
New tomato research has its roots in yielding more food to feed more people, according to Dr. Kendal Hirschi about results announced today.

Cornell and India Sign New Agreement for Agricultural Development
14 December 2005 Cornell University
Exchanging scientific information freely, forging cooperative research, hosting Indian executives, students and faculty, and sharing agricultural biotechnology to promote the development and use of drought- and pest-resistant crops.

Virtuous Soybean Oil Looks for Followers
14 December 2005 Financial Times via Checkbiotech.org
Two months ago, an unusual crop started to be harvested from the great plains of Iowa: a new type of soyabean seed that, when processed into soyabean oil, contains no harmful fats.

Africa Needs Freer Markets - and Fewer Tyrants
14 December 2005 The Wall Street Journal via The Truth About Trade & Technology
The one thing that could give us drought-resistant and highly productive seeds is biotechnology. Experience shows that genetically modified (GM) crops could increase yields by 25% and cost less than Green Revolution techniques.

First Report Now Published on the European Technology Platform 'Plants for the Future'
13 December 2005 EuropaBio
Plants are the main source of all food, feed and fibre in our world. Consequently activities that improve our knowledge of plants and how to use them in a more sustainable way are of vital importance to society, our economy and our environment.

FSANZ Approves Syngenta and Monsanto Crops for the Market
13 December 2005 Food Standards Australia via Checkbiotech.org
After further review, corn varieties from Monsanto and Syngenta pass safety studies by the Food Standard Australia New Zealand which allows them to enter Australian and New Zealand food supplies.

Biotech Crops Boost Incomes, Raise Living Standards Around the World
13 December 2005 Council for Biotechnology Information
Farmers of all types — from an Amish tobacco farmer in the United States to a corn farmer in the Philippines — continue to embrace biotech crops because they help improve living standards.

Kenya Develops Disease Resistant Barley Variety
11 December 2005 Angola Press
An agriculture private concern with beer brewing interests, the Kenya Malting Limited (KML), has developed a disease and drought resistant barley seed variety after a ten-year trial period.

Kellogg Touts Soy Oil Alternative to Trans Fats
09 December 2005 Reuters UK
Kellogg said it plans to replace trans-fat-producing oils in products like Cheez-It crackers and Pop Tarts toaster pastries with Monsanto Co.'s Vistive, a soy oil introduced last year that reduces the need for partial hydrogenation.

Genetically Modified Crops Explained
09 December 2005 GreenFacts.org
We are regularly confronted with genetically modified foods, be it in the news or on our plates. In what way are GM crops different from conventional crops? What is known about their possible risks for human health or the environment?

Benefits of Biotechnology Highlighted on 10 Year Anniversary of First Commercial Biotech Crop
09 December 2005 CropLife
The 10th anniversary of the first commercially available biotech crop was celebrated last night with a declaration by experts that agricultural biotechnology has brought many benefits for farmers and the environment, and its use will continue to grow exponentially, especially in developing countries.

EU Launches Plan to Boost Biomass, Biofuel Use
08 December 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
The European Union must increase its use of biomass and biofuels to offset the bloc's dependence on oil and gas imports, the EU executive said on Wednesday, launching a plan to boost the renewable fuels.

Hunting for the Genetic Key to Wiping out Malaria
08 December 2005 Imperial College London
Controlling malaria through an in-depth understanding of the genetics of mosquitoes is the ultimate goal of Imperial's new Professor of Insect Immunogenomics.

NZ Scientists in Global Push to Decipher Potato DNA Code
08 December 2005 Crop & Food Research
An international research programme which will provide information to more quickly improve the flavour, colour and nutritional value of New Zealand potatoes is underway with participation by this country’s leading potato scientists.

Lost Opportunities in Crop Plant Science in Europe According to ESRC
08 December 2005 Food Ingredients First
The current lack of investment in European crop science, which may be due to Europe’s long-standing scepticism about genetically modified plants or ‘GM’, has led to a neglect of broader genomics-based approaches for improving crop plants, notably ‘marker-assisted breeding’.

Impacts on US Agriculture of Biotechnology-Derived Crops Planted in 2004 – An Update of Eleven Case Studies
07 December 2005 National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
Biotechnology-derived crops continued to provide positive agronomic, economic, and environmental impacts in the United States in 2004, similar to years before.

GM Technology Tried in Fight Against Pollution
07 December 2005 China Daily
While scientists have toiled for several years to find and use natural plants as remedies to reduce pollution, one research team has made use of genetically modified (GM) technology.

New Monsanto Bean Promises Long Lasting Low Trans Fat Soyoil
07 December 2005 Food Navigator
Biotech giant Monsanto is to develop new versions of its reduced trans-fat Vistive soybean with the aim of improving shelf life and flavor of soy oil, lowering saturated fat content and enhancing the bean with Omega-3.

Hepatitis B Vaccination by Eating a Banana?
07 December 2005 CheckBiotech.org
How about eating a ripe appetizing banana fruit and getting rid of all your worries about catching hepatitis B at the same time? A scientist’s dream, or just a step away from reality?

Environmental and Production Benefits Lead to Greater Demand for Biotech Crops
07 December 2005 National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
As a result of increasing benefits from biotechnology-derived (biotech) crop varieties, farmers are adopting the technology with greater ease than ever before.

Coexistence of GM and Non-GM Crops in Ireland
07 December 2005 Department of Agriculture and Food, Ireland
With adherence to recommended measures for crop management, it is the view of the Working Group that the coexistence of GM and non-GM maize, beet, potato and cereals can be successfully achieved within current Irish production systems.

GM Wheat Offers New Salinity Hope
07 December 2005 The Western Australian via The Truth About Trade & Technology
WA's first genetically modified wheat crop - which scientists hope will lead to strains that are tolerant to waterlogging, frost and salt - will be harvested today.

Cancer Team Make 'Super-Broccoli'
07 December 2005 BBC
Scientists are developing a "super-broccoli" which they hope will help people ward off cancer.

China Leads in Research of Genetically Modified Plants
06 December 2005 People's Daily Online
China has taken the lead among developing countries in the research of genetically modified (GM) plants, an expert has said.

BT Cotton Growing Area Extended in India
06 December 2005 Bharat Textile
According to Ministrial sources reveals that BT cotton growing area has extended from 2,30,000 acres in 2003 to 12, 13,359 acres in 2004.

Pakistan Govt to Allow BT Cotton Farming Next Year According to Shaukat
06 December 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Minister Shaukat Aziz has said government would allow farmers to grow BT cotton next year.

Study Tallies Benefits of Biotech Crops
06 December 2005 Agriculture Online
After nine years of commercialization, the benefits of biotech crops are self-evident, and growers are responding to better yields and greater financial return by further increasing the number of acres planted to these varieties.

Better Bananas, Nicer Mosquitoes
06 December 2005 The New York Times
...Laboratories around the world, some of them led by Nobel Prize winners, proposing to invent bananas and sorghum that make their own vitamin A; chemicals that render mosquitoes unable to smell humans; drugs that hunt down tuberculosis...; and vaccines that are mixed into spores or plastics or sugars and can be delivered in glasses of orange juice or modified goose calls.

Monsanto's Trade Dividend
06 December 2005 The Motley Fool
That Australia is eagerly adopting genetically modified (GM) cotton and U.S. farmers are embracing GM corn may be just small signs of a growing trend.

Hybrid Maize Solution to Hunger
05 December 2005 The Nation
Monsanto Malawi Limited on Friday donated two metric tonnes of hybrid maize seeds to Ethel Mutharika Foundation in an effort to fight hunger.

Monsanto Company Increases First-Quarter Earnings Per Share Guidance
05 December 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company announced today that it is increasing its first-quarter 2006 earnings per share (EPS) guidance.

Biofuels Could Give Breathing Space to Carmakers
05 December 2005 Financial Times
The provisional agreement of the Commission, through a top-level negotiating group known as CARS 21, will see oil companies told to increase the use of biofuels made from plants, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Sunday Times Profile Interview with Zac Goldsmith
04 December 2005 The Sunday Times
In Jasper Gerard's interview with Zac Goldsmith, he incorrectly tells the interviewer that Monsanto makes Nicorette. This is not true.

Brasher: Planet-Saving Becomes New Food Buzzword
04 December 2005 Des Moines Register
Monsanto is in the second year of field-testing corn that has been genetically engineered to be drought resistant. A variety of cotton that needs less water also is in development.

A Short Guide to Peer Review
03 December 2005 Sense About Science
From doctors to charity helplines, people on the front line of dealing with public concerns are frustrated by the damage and public anxiety that result from the promotion of poor or unpublished science.

Monsanto: Heart healthy
03 December 2005 St. Louis Post Dispatch
Until now, the benefits of plant biotechnology have gone largely to the farmer, through crops that resist insects and weed-killing chemicals. Now, Monsanto is bringing more of those benefits directly to the consumer through healthier foods.

Rice Developed for Allergy Treatment
02 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
When mice were fed with this transgenic rice, researchers found, among others, that the mice were expressing lower levels of histamine, and did not develop the symptoms of pollen-induced allergies.

Glyphosate Makes GR Crops Rust Resistant
02 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Researchers believe that GR crops engineered with a glyphosate-insensitive, instead of glyphosate-deactivating gene, can allow for better rust control.

Gene Makes Plants Resistant to Stress, Infection
02 December 2005 Crop Biotech Net
They also found that transgenic plants had enhanced tolerance to bacterial infection, heat, and osmotic stress.

Better Biotech Plants
01 December 2005 MIT Technology Review
Metabolomics may help scientists to engineer sophisticated plant factories.

Benefits May Improve Perceptions of Genetically Modified Crops
01 December 2005 Supermarket News
Genetically modified crops that offer specific benefits to consumers may help quell some of the controversy surrounding agricultural bioengineering.

Technology Aids Fight Against World Hunger
01 December 2005 Gainesville Times
So, the next time you hear something negative about genetically modified crops, remember how many people in the world are in need of these advances in food production.

Director Aims to Put the ‘A’ Back in TAMU
01 December 2005 Country World News
According to Murano, by 2020, foods and crops will be largely genetically engineered, with most of the consumers’ food coming from genetically engineered products, such as vegetables, fruit and livestock.

Is the European Attitude to GM Products Suffocating African Development?
01 December 2005 CSIRO
This article will examine the background and reasons behind the condemnation of GM crops by southern African nations, and will consider whether the lack of support of agricultural biotechnology by European nations has contributed to this situation.

Monsanto Launches New "Conversations About Plant Biotech" Web Site
30 November 2005 Monsanto Co.
With more than 8 million farmers globally planting biotech crops, this website was designed to share some of these growers' conversations about how biotechnology has impacted their lives and their communities.

Thuggery with a Green Gag
30 November 2005 The Times
Greenpeace's determination to shut down debate is not aberrant hotheadedness but deeply held conviction. Its is an obscurantist illiberalism more appropriate to a cult than a pressure group.

Kenya; Ministry Urges Equal Policies on GMOs
30 November 2005 East Standard
The Ministry of Agriculture has called for the adoption of a harmonised policy on biotechnology for the eastern and southern Africa region.

Genetically Modified Yeast Could Enable Ethanol Production
29 November 2005 FarmPage
The scientists will work on engineering the mushroom gene so that it enables yeast or some other organism to produce greater amounts of the xylanase enzyme in less time.

Biofortified, Iron-Rich Rice Improves the Nutrition of Women, Study by Cornell Researcher Shows
29 November 2005 Cornell University
Now, in the first study to test people who eat foods that have been bred for higher-than-normal concentrations of micronutrients, researchers have confirmed that conventional plant breeding can affect human nutritional status.

Junk Science and Inept Politics Compound Nature's Wrath in Zambia
29 November 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Poor people who are starving to death need food from whatever sources and not exercises in counting the teeth of the gift horse.

Biotechnology's Newest Chemical Tool
28 November 2005 The Nano Aging Institute
Exploiting biology's own chemical toolbox, researchers have developed a new technique that will allow them to modify specific sequences within a DNA molecule.

Purdue Trials Produce Surprising Results
28 November 2005 Brownfield
Eyebrow-raising yields of 200 bushels per acre or more were recorded at many research plots in Purdue's annual corn performance trials.

Monsanto Executive Vice President to Address Investment Conference
28 November 2005 Monsanto Co.
Begemann will provide an update on the company's research-and-development pipeline, strategic initiatives, product performance and other business matters.

Plants Reveal Secret and Bring Researchers Nearer a Cleaner Future
28 November 2005 ESRF
Researchers from Freie Universität Berlin identify a new step in photosynthesis.

Bumper Harvest of Maize in Kenya Expected
28 November 2005 Kenyan Broadcasting
Ongwae said food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa could be alleviated through use of biotechnology.

World Production of Biotech Crops to Touch $210 Bln by 2015
27 November 2005 Web India 123
Global production of biotech crops including grains, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables is expected to touch to 210 billion dollars by 2015, predicts an Australian study.

Monsanto is Delivering on Promises It Made
26 November 2005 St. Louis Post Dispatch
After years in development, Creve Coeur agribusiness giant Monsanto is delivering the first seeds from a pipeline aimed at making foods healthier, tastier, easier to ship and store, or better for processing.

U.S. Launches West Africa Cotton Improvement Program
25 November 2005 Delta Farm Press
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman announced the launch of the West Africa Cotton Improvement Program, an initiative aimed at shoring up U.S. relations with the cotton sectors of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Senegal.

Israel Commits $30 M to Biotech Research
25 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN) of the Ben-Gurion University in Israel will receive $30 M from the Israeli government to speed track research.

‘Partial Knowledge’
25 November 2005 CheckBiotech.org
The plant ecologist, Klaus Ammann, is "calling on heavy scientific ammunition" with regards to the Swiss initiative that calls for a moratorium on green biotechnology.

Monsanto Planning Research Center
24 November 2005 Argus Leader
St. Louis-based Monsanto Co. has signed a 10-year lease for 4 acres in the Harrisburg Industrial Park, where it will construct a 24,000-square-foot building to develop and test new corn hybrids.

Scientists Hail Biotech Benefits
24 November 2005 ANSA
Biotechnology can help save lives and boost Italian exports, one of the country's leading research institutes said here on Thursday.

Safe Coexistence at 20 Meters Distance
23 November 2005 CheckBiotech.org
German molecular biologists develop recommendations for cultivation of genetically engineered maize.

Victory for Legume Genomics Celebrated by Soybean Group
23 November 2005 AgriNews
The American Soybean Association is celebrating a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program to provide up to $5 million of funding for functional genomics and bioinformatics on legume crops such as soybeans.

Plant Gene Related to Cancer Treatment May Foster New Oncology Drugs
23 November 2005 Purdue University
Two proteins involved in the process that controls plant growth may help explain why human cells reject chemotherapy drugs, according to an international team of scientists.

GM Use Rises in Developing Countries
23 November 2005 Japan Chemical Week via Checkbiotech
Japan's society appears to have entered a transition period in which the bioindustry is on the rise, with performance-oriented projects jointly planned by government, industry and academia.

ISU Unlocking Gene Functions in Plants
22 November 2005 Iowa State University
An Iowa State University plant scientist is leading a national research team that will develop a new tool to decipher the functions of plant genes.

Iran, First to Plant GMO Rice, Hopes to Cut Imports
22 November 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
Iran, which says it was the first country to commercialise genetically modified rice in 2004, hopes to cut its imports of about 1 million tonnes each year by developing higher-yielding varieties, a senior scientist said.

Population Boom Pushes Asia to Accept GMO Rice
22 November 2005 Reuters UK
Opposition to genetically modified (GMO) rice in Asia is likely to dissipate in the next 5 to 7 years as the region struggles to feed its growing population, a senior scientist said.

European Biotech Firms Target R&D Growth
22 November 2005 Nutra Ingredients
Biotech associations from five European countries have joined an initiative aimed at creating and developing globally competitive R&D-driven companies.

Jury Finds in Favor of Monsanto in Patent Case Involving Bayer CropScience and Insect-Protected Corn Technology
22 November 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company announced today that a jury has found in favor of Monsanto in a patent infringement and validity case related to insect-protection technology in corn.

We're Eloquent on Economics but Silent on Science
21 November 2005 The Independent
Climate change, nuclear power, GM foods: the need for informed debate is greater than ever. But you won't find it in the papers.

Making Sense of Science
21 November 2005 The Scientist
Lemon juice may help beat AIDS; genetically modified crops will create superweeds; measles vaccine may be responsible for autism; and mobile phones can cut male fertility by a third.

Anti-biotech Crowd Trounced on Home Territory
21 November 2005 Western Farm Press
It's time for the outlaw, anti-society, anti-GMO crowd to get out of California and quit wasting taxpayer money on an issue that has already been settled in the laboratory, through government regulations and the public's acceptance.

GM Maize-GA21
21 November 2005 UK Parliament
The SCF concluded in March 2002 that GA21 maize is as safe as conventional, non-GM maize.

Genetic Modification and Genetic Engineering: 2. Classical Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
21 November 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Definitions and examples of biotechnology terms and expressions.

Int'l Collaboration on GM Crop Dev't Urged
20 November 2005 Manila Bulletin
Heavy financing costs and genetic material constraints have underscored the need for an international collaboration in the development of genetically modified (GM) crops designed to help thousands of resource-poor farmers.

GM Foods for Ensuring Food Security
19 November 2005 Times of India
Identification of genes to meet the challenge of ensuring food security through management of knowledge is the key to future success.

Genetic Modification and Genetic Engineering: 1. Genetic Modification in Nature
19 November 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Definitions and examples of biotechnology terms and expressions.

Farmers Consulted on India's Draft Biotech Policy
18 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Biotechnologies can offer new hope for increased productivity, sustainability and profitability if the research priorities are right.

Resistance Gene To Fortify Soy Against Exotic Pest
18 November 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Discovery of the resistance, reported in the journal Crop Science, helps set the stage for seed companies to breed new, high-yielding cultivars that should withstand the sap-sucking pest with little or no help from insecticides.

Photosynthetic Structure Enlightened
17 November 2005 University of Wisconsin-Madison
Now, for the first time, scientists have obtained a detailed map of one of biology's most important light detectors, a protein found in many species across life's plant, fungal, and bacterial kingdoms.

Burkina's Gene Revolution Promises High Improvement in Yield and Sharp Decrease in Production Cost
17 November 2005 Daily Observer
Many African countries are becoming more convinced about the potential of agricultural biotechnology, and are currently engaged in some aspect of research in particular areas of priority, and Burkina Faso is one of them.

DaimlerChrysler Vows to Push Biofuel Technology
17 November 2005 Reuters
DaimlerChrysler, the world's fifth-biggest carmaker, pledged on Thursday to help promote the use of biofuels by developing engines that can run on higher mixtures of the alternative energy sources.

Plants Have a Dual Line of Defence
17 November 2005 Max-Planck Society
Max Planck researchers in Cologne, Germany demonstrate that a multi-step defence system underlies the durable resistance of plants to fungal parasites.

U.S. Should Not Import European Laws
17 November 2005 Fox News
As globalization fosters economic growth around the world, Americans should be vigilant of an unintended consequence: the imposition on U.S. businesses and consumers of the non-science-based, environmentalist-promoted, European Union-embraced standard known as the "precautionary principle."

The Lesson of Measure M: Grassroots Mobilization Works
16 November 2005 California Farm Bureau Federation
We learned that biotech crops are one tool in our toolbox to develop safe, affordable foods in an environmentally friendly manner.

Cornell Opens Research Park Devoted to Farming
16 November 2005 Newsday
Cornell University on Wednesday opened a new 72-acre research park dedicated to agriculture and food technology.

Advancing Arizona on Its Way to Becoming Genomics Central
16 November 2005 University of Arizona
UA/BIO5 researchers have received a $29 million federal grant as part of a consortium to unlock the genetic code of the corn plant.

GM Crops 'Vital' for Africa's Food Supply
16 November 2005 Cape Argus News
Africa will have a projected cereal crop shortfall of 88.7 million tons by 2025, but the population will have doubled to 1.5 billion in the same period, a University of Cape Town biotechnologist has warned.

Biofortified Sorghum Project Boosts African Scientific Capacity
16 November 2005 Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International
One of Africa's greatest challenges -- the twin problems of limited scientific infrastructure and human capacity -- is being addressed by the Africa Biofortified Sorghum project, which is supported by the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative.

GMA Conference on the Future of Food
15 November 2005 AgBioWorld
Nourish your appetite for knowledge at the inaugural GMA Conference on the Future of Food.

GM Crops: 10 Years On
15 November 2005 The Association of Applied Biologists
Ten years on leading scientists from academia and industry from around the world will gather in Cambridge to look back over the last ten years and forward to the next.

Corn Genetically Engineered for Animal Feed to Be Marketed
15 November 2005 The Daily Item
Renessen LLC, a joint venture of Monsanto Co. and Cargill Inc., is preparing to market the first crop genetically engineered for animal feed.

Dr. Norman Borlaug Wins the National Medal of Science
14 November 2005 The White House
Today President George W. Bush announced the recipients of the Nation's highest honor for science and technology, naming the recipients of the 2004 National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology.

India to Host Asian Biotech Training Center
14 November 2005 SciDev.Net
India is to host a US$7 million centre to provide biotechnology training and research opportunities for scientists from across Asia.

U.S. Announces Launch of West Africa Cotton Improvement Program
14 November 2005 U.S. Department of Agriculture
Today U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman announced the launch of the West Africa Cotton Improvement Program (WACIP) aimed at the cotton sectors of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Senegal.

Private-Public Partnership to Make Transgenic Crops Affordable
14 November 2005 The Hindu Business Line
A public private partnership between Mahyco, academic institutions and private sector seed companies in India, Bangladesh and Philippines aims to make transgenic crops affordable to more farmers in the region.

Transgenic Eggplant to Be Commercialised
14 November 2005 The Hindu
A transgenic eggplant that is resistant to fruit and shoot borer will soon be released for commercial use through a public-private partnership in India, Bangladesh and the Philippines.

India's Food Production to Double in a Decade
14 November 2005 New Kerala
India, the world's third largest food producer, has the potential to become the top-ranking country in food production, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahai said today.

Wishing for a Calamity
14 November 2005 Western Standard
It's been 10 years since genetically modified foods came to Canada, and environmental groups are furious no one's died yet.

The UN's War Against Innovation: Why is the U.S. Helping?
14 November 2005 Tech Central Station
Nothing the UN has inflicted on innovation and research and development is worse than its record on biotechnology applied to agriculture and food production.

Melbourne Leads Malaria Fight
14 November 2005 The Age
Professor Coppel's team is working to ensure a malaria vaccine reaches those who need it in tropical nations lacking transport or refrigeration for perishable vaccines. They plan to genetically modify vegetables to accept Plasmodium antigens.

Marketing of Foods Derived from Genetically Modified Maize
14 November 2005 UK Parliament
The safety-testing strategy for GM food and feed was examined, as were the animal toxicity studies. As I said, EFSA's final decision was that the rat-feeding study did not reveal any problems or raise any issues relating to human health.

Indo-US Declaration on Farm Cooperation
13 November 2005 The Statesman
India today signed a joint declaration with the US department of agriculture to energise agricultural research between the two countries ahead of the visit of US President, Mr George W Bush to this country slated for February 2006.

Golden Rice to Solve Vitamin-A Deficiency
13 November 2005 The Economic Times
Intense efforts are underway in India for commercial production of 'Golden Rice', an upgraded rice variety rich in vitamin-A to overcome high-level nutritional deficiency in most available varieties.

U.S. Envoy Urges Vatican on Biotech Crops
12 November 2005 The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See urged the Vatican on Saturday to promote the potential of biotech crops, saying there was a "moral imperative" to investigate the possible benefits of agricultural technology to feed the world's hungry.

CIMMYT Draws Up New Maize Map
11 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Maize is an important crop, especially throughout the developing world, but its yields are hampered by problems such as soil infertility and insect infestation.

Africa Urged to Up Agri Systems to Meet MDGS
11 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
UN Millennium Project Director Dr Jeffrey D. Sachs has called on African governments to fast track adoption of transgenic crops to boost food security on the continent.

France GM Grape Trials Resume
11 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Nature Biotechnology reports that field trials of genetically modified (GM) grapevine rootstocks have resumed in France.

Monsanto Sets Aggressive Target
11 November 2005 St. Louis Post Dispatch
Monsanto Co. on Thursday announced an aggressive earnings growth target of 20 percent, year over year.

APEC Agricultural Biotechnology Experts to Meet in Chile to Strengthen Their Capacity to Develop and Use Agricultural Biotechnology
11 November 2005 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
Strengthening regulatory capacity and exchanging technical information for the safe introduction and use of agricultural biotechnology products will be the topic of an APEC annual meeting in Santiago, Chile from November 14 to 22.

Biotechnology Advances Feeding the Hungry, Preserving Environment
10 November 2005 U.S. Department of State
Advances in biotechnology are having a beneficial effect not only in providing enough food for the world’s ever-increasing population, but also in protecting the environment.

Monsanto Executives Outline Growth Strategy at Biennial Investor Meeting; Provide Fiscal Year 2007 Guidance
10 November 2005 Monsanto Co.
At an investor meeting hosted by Monsanto Company today, executives announced that the company expects continued strong ongoing earnings per share (EPS) growth and free cash flow generation through 2007.

Scientists Discover How Crops Use the Length of the Day to Decide When to Flower
10 November 2005 John Innes Centre
Scientists at the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich, UK, report today a breakthrough in understanding how crop plants use daylength to ensure they flower at the right time of year.

Voters Reject Sonoma Ban on Genetically Modified Crops
09 November 2005 AP via Contra Costa Times
A proposed ban on planting or cultivating genetically altered crops was rejected by Sonoma County voters Tuesday night.

Monsanto Develops Drought Tolerance
09 November 2005 The Wall Street Journal via Checkbiotech.org
Big advances in agricultural biotechnology are nothing new at Monsanto Co., which has developed more than a dozen products that protect crops against insects and weeds.

India Coming on Strong in Cotton Production
09 November 2005 Southwest Farm Press
This upsurge in production was due to a combination of great weather and of Bt technology’s ability to reduce risks and costs and save Indian cotton producers from the worm invasions that used to frequently destroy their crops.

The role of Biotechnology for the Characterisation and Conservation of Crop, Forest, Animal and Fishery Genetic Resources in Developing Countries
08 November 2005 FAO
A number of biotechnology tools are available that can help in characterisation and conservation of such genetic resources, ranging from relatively cheap and uncomplicated technologies to sophisticated, resource-demanding ones.

Mosquito Expert Battles Spread of Dengue Fever
08 November 2005 University of California, Davis
A UC Davis expert on insect-borne diseases will lead a research project on the feasibility of genetically modifying mosquitoes to reduce the incidence of dengue fever.

USDA Provides Funding for Legume Genome Research
08 November 2005 Delta Farm Press
USDA's National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program will provide up to $5 million of funding for functional genomics and bioinformatics on legume crops such as soybeans.

Monthly Pill for HIV, Hepatitis, Herpes Simplex - Illusion or Soon Reality
07 November 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers from the USA discussed the crucial importance and problems of plant-derived mucosal vaccines to prevent transmission of sexually transmitted diseases as HIV, Hepatitis B, Herpes Simplex and others.

GM Agriculture Literatures Rises
07 November 2005 Meridian Institute
An analysis of publications in plant transgenic science shows that the number of published articles on the development of genetically modified (GM) crops and the application of plant transgenic technology continues to increase annually.

Better Varieties Cited for Improved Yields
07 November 2005 SouthWest Farm Press
Following is the second in a series of articles depicting some of the best management practices farmers are using to improve profit potential in Texas cotton.

Resistance Gene to Fortify Soy Against Exotic Pest
07 November 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Discovery of the resistance, reported in the journal Crop Science, helps set the stage for seed companies to breed new, high-yielding cultivars that should withstand the sap-sucking pest with little or no help from insecticides.

New Research Programme for Non-Food Uses of Crops and Renewable Materials
07 November 2005 DEFRA
A new LINK programme, which will provide grant-aid for research into non-food uses of crops and renewable materials, was launched today by Food and Farming Minister, Lord Bach.

Growers for Biotechnology Changes Name, Broadens Focus
07 November 2005 Growers for Biotechnology
Growers for Wheat Biotechnology has changed its name to Growers for Biotechnology, a move which leaders say reflects a broader mission of having a grower voice to support the research, development, and market acceptance of biotech crops.

World's Next Fuel Source Could Be Designer Organisms
07 November 2005 CNet
The scientist who cracked the human genome now hopes to exploit the properties of DNA to solve the world's pending energy crisis.

Revolution at the Pumps as Government Backs Biofuels
07 November 2005 The Independent
Every British motorist will soon be driving on petrol made from sugar beet and diesel made from oilseed rape as part of the Government's fight against climate change.

Ten Years of Biotech Cropping Have Passed so Fast; Milestone Reached in Crop Production
07 November 2005 Grand Forks Herald
The fact is that today, after reaching the milestone of 10 full years of proven biotech crop production, a majority of farmers in the United States likely would have to rethink, if not relearn, how to economically grow row crops without this valuable farming tool.

Edible Vaccines 'to Replace Jabs'
06 November 2005 BBC
An edible allergy vaccine could one day replace injections, a study says.

Biotech Plan to Help Genetic Disease Sufferers
05 November 2005 China Daily
People suffering from various infectious and genetic diseases may benefit from plans to support biotech medicine.

Tailoring Chemically-Induced Gene Switches for Research and Agriculture
04 November 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Transgenic technologies enable the generation of primary, protein, or secondary, metabolite or trait, gene products.

Biotechnology as a Key Driver for Sustainable Bioenergy Production
04 November 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Biotechnology really opens several new doors to creating "natural" bio-based products that are viable in contributing to a more sustainable future.

Czech Farmers Growing GE Corn
04 November 2005 The Prague Post
Farmers in the Czech Republic have begun growing genetically engineered (GE) corn for the first time, and they could start selling it as early as next year.

Monograph Documents Advance, Impact of Europe’s “Risk-Free” Regulatory Agenda
04 November 2005 Washington Legal Foundation
The most important and compelling sections of the Monograph address how precaution proponents are successfully advancing their regulatory principles here in the U.S., and the serious impact their success will have on free enterprise.

Ord GM Cotton Impresses
03 November 2005 WA Business News
Production trials of genetically modified cotton undertaken near Kununurra have highlighted its potential as a commercial crop in the Ord River irrigation area.

It's Food for Thought
03 November 2005 The Washington Times
Farmers responded enthusiastically to the new crop varieties, even though the seeds cost more, and rapidly and widely adopted herbicide-tolerant (HT) soybeans and cotton, followed by insect-resistant (Bt) cotton and corn.

New Approaches Needed for Agric in Developing World
03 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Enhancing agricultural productivity in developing countries requires new approaches that provide incentives and funding mechanisms that will translate new innovations in plant science into concrete benefits for poor farmers.

South Asia Heading Toward Agric Transformation
03 November 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Prospects are bright for South Asia to head toward a "new order" of agricultural transformation.

Monsanto Company Sets Webcast for November 10 Investor Briefing
02 November 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced that its Nov. 10 investor briefing will be simultaneously webcast and can be accessed by visiting the company's web site.

GM Rice Raises Safer Allergy Treatment Hope
01 November 2005 The Guardian
Scientists have genetically modified rice so that it reduces allergic responses in mice, a development that could lead to safer and cheaper allergy treatment for humans.

Seed Stacks Dominate
01 November 2005 Farm Industry News
Seed companies recently announced the release of their new 2006 corn hybrids and soybean varieties. Technology traits continue to dominate the market, but companies also are promoting strong agronomic traits.

Monsanto Notes Yield Advantage for YieldGard Plus Corn in Droughty Illinois
01 November 2005 Agriculture Online
Monsanto has released early harvest results that indicate YieldGard Plus Corn achieved a 15-bushel yield advantage compared with corn protected with insecticides under the severe drought conditions Illinois growers faced this season.

Biologists Discover New Pathway into Plant Cells
01 November 2005 Oregon State University
Researchers at Oregon State University have made a major discovery in basic plant biology that may set the stage for profound advances in plant genetics or biotechnology.

Studies Show GM Crops Safe
01 November 2005 Environment News
Improvements as diverse as cleaner air and water, reduced impact on wild biodiversity, and even a reduction in the risk of foodborne illnesses, all can be attributed to biotech crops.

Africans Embrace Biotech Future
31 October 2005 Council for Biotechnology Information
As individual African farmers plant, nurture and harvest crops successfully, they build a better quality of life for their often-struggling families, communities and nations.

CAST Releases New Commentary on Safety of Foods Produced Using Biotechnology
31 October 2005 Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
This commentary weighs hypothetical hazards voiced by activist critics against available scientific evidence and experience with transgenic crops.

The Promise of Biotechnology
31 October 2005 U.S. Department of State
New technologies, whether they are in medicine, industry, or agriculture, often initially generate public skepticism. Nowhere is this currently more evident than in biotechnology, where issues of health and environment are hotly debated.

Monsanto Offers Flex Formulations to Competitors
31 October 2005 Delta Farm Press
To make sure growers have the "best experience possible" with its new Roundup Ready Flex cotton, Monsanto says it is making information about a new formulation of its glyphosate herbicide available to other manufacturers.

Indian Cotton Coming on Strong
31 October 2005 Delta Farm Press
This upsurge in production was due to a combination of great weather and of Bt technology's ability to reduce risks and costs and save Indian cotton producers from the worm invasions that used to frequently destroy their crops.

Newly Recognized Gene Mutation May Reduce Seeds, Resurrect Plants
31 October 2005 Purdue University
A mutated plant that seems to return from the dead may hold the secret to how some flora protect their progeny during yield-limiting drought and other stresses, according to Purdue University scientists whose study of the plant led to discovery of a gene.

Corn Crop Liked it Hot
30 October 2005 Des Moines Register
High yields prove today's seeds tolerate drought far better than farmers ever expected.

Chinese Team Says GM Plants Can Clean Up Heavy Metals
28 October 2005 SciDev.Net
Researchers say their GM tobacco could be used to remove toxins from soil.

Research Shows No Resistance of Cotton Pest
28 October 2005 Crop Biotech Net
They attribute their results to well implemented measures on planting Bt cotton with refugia, the recessive inheritance of resistance, incomplete resistance, and fitness costs associated with resistance.

UK Growers Impressed by Spain's GM Experience
28 October 2005 Farmers Weekly Interactive
UK farmers are losing out by not having GM crops, claim two NFU members who have recently been on a study tour in Spain, where 11% of the country’s 550,000ha (1.36m acre) maize crop is genetically modified.

Journalists Tackle Biotech
28 October 2005 Crop Biotech Net
A 'seeing-is-believing' tour of Bt cotton field trial sites in Burkina Faso in Western Africa opened the eyes of visiting journalists from seven West African countries to biotechnology initiatives that can contribute to agricultural productivity on the continent.

Global Economy, Environment Benefit from Biotech Crops
27 October 2005 AgriNews
After just nine years of commercialization, biotech crops have made a significant, positive impact on the global economy and environment, decreasing pesticide spraying and reducing the environmental footprint associated with pesticide use by 14 percent.

Monsanto, Solae Collaborate To Develop New Soy Proteins
27 October 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto and The Solae Company today announced an agreement to develop and market a new line of soy proteins with improved flavor and solubility. This collaboration combines each company's unique strengths to bring such a technology to market.

Genetic Engineering to Increase Anti-Cancer Compound in Beer
27 October 2005 Katu News
It's possible, scientists say, that hops might be produced or genetically engineered to have higher levels of xanthohumol, specifically to take advantage of its anti-cancer properties.

New Research Published on GM Separation Distances
27 October 2005 Farmers Weekly
Scientists from the Central Science Laboratory have published research which they claim suggests current separation distances between GM rape and conventional rape keeps cross-pollination within EU limits.

Genetics Provides Opportunity To Feed World, Experts Say
27 October 2005 U.S. Department of State
Genetically engineered crops proven to be safe, help farmers, environment.

Wheat Research Project Aims to Increase Productivity
26 October 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Proposed research to decipher a gene leading to humankind is domestication of wheat has won the Agricultural Research Service's T.W. Edminster Research Associate Award for 2006.

East Cape Farmers Planting More GM Maize
26 October 2005 The Herald
With a better crop yield, lower input costs and less management required, the farming of genetically modified (GM) maize is being encouraged among emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape.

Roundup Ready Cotton - 6 Years On
26 October 2005 SeedQuest
John Marshall, CSD E & D agronomist - Dalby, examines the impact of Roundup Ready® Cotton since its introduction to the cotton industry in 2000.

News Genes Could Lead to Better Adaptations
25 October 2005 VIB, Flanders Interuniversity Institute of Biotechnology
Scientists from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected to Ghent University have now analyzed a complete plant genome in order to identify the genes that are essential for the formation of capillary roots.

Scientists Reflect on Influential Field Trial
25 October 2005 SouthWest Farm Press
The team members – Jaworski, Robert T. Fraley, Robert B. Horsch and Steve Rogers – received the National Medal of Technology for their work in 1999.

Mosquitoes’ Resistance to Malaria Parasite Found in Gene
25 October 2005 Johns Hopkins University
Researchers have identified a gene in mosquitoes that helps the insects to fight off infection by the Plasmodium parasite, which causes malaria in humans.

Can Roundup Ready Flex Revolutionize Cotton Production?
25 October 2005 Delta Farm Press
They say that Roundup Ready cotton made the plow extinct...Roundup Ready Flex may make the hooded sprayer and post-directed spray rigs extinct.

Transgenic Cotton Seeds Seen as a Tool to Improve Lower Yields
25 October 2005 Financial Express
Cultivation of transgenic cotton seeds is now increasingly seen as a vehicle to solve the problem of lower yields and production in the country.

7 Millennia in the Making
25 October 2005 The Daily Cardinal via Checkbiotech.org
The development of genetically modified plants has allowed people to change certain traits in crops, but humans have been influencing the genetic makeup of crops for thousands of years.

India, Dutch Sign Biotech Deal
25 October 2005 Red Herring
India and the Netherlands signed an agreement on Tuesday for cooperation in biotechnology, focusing on areas in healthcare and food security.

GM Crops to Ensure Food
25 October 2005 The New Nation
Agricultural biotechnology and its proper utilisation can meet the challenge of the next century for ensuring food and nutrition security in the developing countries, including Bangladesh.

The Ideas Interview: Gordon Conway - Are We Facing a Future of Death and Famine?
24 October 2005 The Guardian
No, but we must learn to love GM foods, hears John Sutherland.

Near Future Tempts Disease-Resistant Pepper, Ginger
24 October 2005 The Hindu Business Line via Checkbiotech.org
The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here is developing disease-resistant, genetic varieties of pepper and ginger.

Consider Future Cost of Altering Plant Genetics
23 October 2005 Star Gazette
Genetic engineering is not about creating Frankenstein-like plants and animals, but enhancing or repositioning what is in the environment now for improved performance of the desired plant or animal.

Communicate to the Public
21 October 2005 CheckBiotech.org
The researchers were focusing on the second generation of transgenic crops and foods – whose improvements would more directly benefit costumers.

Biotech Giant Staying Ahead of the Curve
21 October 2005 Capital Press
[Monsanto] uses biotechnology to speed and improve the breeding process, shrinking what could take decades into a few years.

Monsanto Fund Donates $250,000 To Earthquake Relief Efforts In Pakistan
21 October 2005 Monsanto Co.
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, has pledged US$250,000 to support earthquake relief efforts focused on helping people as they are struggling to recover from the devastation.

Tumor-Causing Plant Bacteria ‘Smell’ Wounds
20 October 2005 Cornell University
The discovery may lead to a cure for crown gall disease, which takes a large economic toll on fruit and wine-grape crops each year.

Biopharming Crops Could Help Treat Cystic Fibrosis
20 October 2005 International Academy of Life Sciences
The International Academy of Life Sciences has denounced attacks on crops being grown in France to potentially treat cystic fibrosis and other diseases and called for the continuation of research into these potentially life-saving technologies.

University 8 Year Study: Less Bugs and Less Spraying
20 October 2005 University of Arizona
Biotech cotton has beaten back pink bollworm eight years running, reports a team of scientists from The University of Arizona in Tucson.

Soybean Genome Starts, Purdue Researcher Leads $4.5 Million NSF Study
20 October 2005 Purdue University
Farmers, college students and consumers may benefit from soybean research made possible by a $4.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.

Photosynthesis: Take Two!
20 October 2005 Max-Planck Society
Max Planck researchers in Cologne have discovered how protein kinases in plants regulate adaptation to changing light conditions.

Super Cotton Strain Set to Raise Output Dramatically
20 October 2005 The Star (Malaysia)
A major cotton breeding breakthrough has made China the first country in the world to commercialise a cotton strain that can resist bollworms and increase output by 25%.

New Research Shows that Bt Crops Pose Little Threat to Non-Target Organisms
20 October 2005 Environmental Entomology
Environmental Entomology, an Entomological Society of America journal has just published the results of 11 field studies of the impact of Bt crops on non-target organisms.

EU Rapeoil Selling Out for Biofuel Use
19 October 2005 Reuters
Sudden demand for rapeseed oil as biofuel means European Union rapeoil producers are increasingly sold out.

India Seen Okaying GMO Mustard and Rice in Next Two Years
19 October 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
India, where genetically modified (GM) cotton has been a big hit with farmers, is expected to approve transgenic mustard and rice crops within the next few years.

Written Answers - Herbicides Used in the FSEs
19 October 2005 The United Kingdom Parliament
The researchers returned to the site the following year and found no trace of any charlock plants carrying the herbicide tolerant gene.

Marketing of MON863 Genetically Modified Maize
19 October 2005 UK Parliament
I am pleased that our body, ACAF, was unequivocal. It said that the product does not pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Genetic Engineering and Food Security
19 October 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Norman Borlaug and Jimmy Carter, two Nobel Laureates, lauded the past 50-year phase of Green Revolution as the most productive period in global agricultural history.

Monsanto Gets Nod to Sell Double-Resistant Cotton
18 October 2005 Business Day
Multinational seed company Monsanto announced yesterday that it had obtained government approval to launch a new variety of genetically engineered cotton in SA.

The Next Wave of Crops Are Materializing in BioValley
18 October 2005 Checkbiotech.org
By understanding how to turn on, or enhance, a plant’s defense systems, researchers like Nuernberger and Fritig are developing transgenic plants that will be better resistant to diseases that cause millions of dollars in losses to farmers world-wide.

The Source of All Evil? I Think Not
18 October 2005 Lene Johansen
Their plants help reduce the amount of herbicides and pesticides a farmer has to spray on his crops, because the plants express genes that make them resistant to certain pests and herbicides.

Transplanted Corn Gene Protects Rice
18 October 2005 UPI via Physorg.com
Kansas State University scientists say they've demonstrated resistance to bacterial streak disease in maize can be transferred to rice.

Africa Seen Accepting GMO Crops More in Future
18 October 2005 Reuters South Africa
Genetic crops are expected to gain wider acceptance in Africa as more homegrown projects emerge that will spread benefits among the poor, a Kenyan biotech expert said on Tuesday.

Forget Scary 'Frankenweeds'
18 October 2005 Western Mail
We need to understand and apply genetic principles in order to produce better plants and livestock.

14 New Veggie Varieties Approved for Limited Trial
17 October 2005 Financial Express
Fourteen transgenic food crops have been approved for contained and limited field trials in the country.

Rounding Up All the Benefits of Biotech
17 October 2005 The New Zealand Herald
With a burning belief in the positive power of genetic engineering, he has a vision of a world where food is designed to be cheaper, more abundant, healthier and safer.

Plant and Transplant Honors for Diabetes Research
17 October 2005 London Free Press via Checkbiotech.org
They've developed genetically altered plants that, when eaten by mice, appear to block the onset of diabetes.

Rice Research Turns to Asia's Chronic Droughts
17 October 2005 Agence France Press via Yahoo!
After decoding the rice genome, keeping one of the world's most important cereals productive despite chronic droughts is now a key focus of global research, the International Rice Research Institute says.

Sustainable Farming Can Feed the World
16 October 2005 Swiss Info
On World Food Day, Swiss agricultural specialist Hans Rudolf Herren tells swissinfo that hunger can be overcome if farming practices are improved.

People's Party Toes Government Line
15 October 2005 Swiss Info
The assembly turned down the GM moratorium by a two-to-one majority, convinced that consumers and farmers were responsible enough to decide if biotechnology could benefit them.

Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops: The Credibility Crisis
15 October 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
It looks that the anti-tech lobby considers survey reports as credible only if they are negative.

Günter Verheugen: The Commission’s New Biotech Policy
14 October 2005 EUROPA
Guenter Verheugen, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Enterprise and Industry, speaks about the EC's New Biotech Policy to at EuropaBIO'S Biotechnology Day.

African Journalists Pledge More Balanced GM Coverage
14 October 2005 SciDevNet
Journalists in east and southern Africa have pledged to make their coverage of biotechnology-related issues more balanced, accurate and analytical.

Panelists Urge Biotech Discussions
14 October 2005 Des Moines Register
Biotechnology can help combat hunger around the world, but there needs to be more public discussion of the pros and cons of genetically engineered crops, participants in the World Food Prize symposium said Thursday.

Extending the Green Revolution
14 October 2005 Wall Street Journal Europe via Checkbiotech.org
The past 50 years have been the most productive period in global agricultural history, leading to the greatest reduction in hunger the world has ever seen.

Expert Touts Biotech Crops' Ability to Help Struggling Countries
13 October 2005 AP via WHO TV
A U.S. State Department trade policy adviser says he hopes developing countries will come on board with crop biotechnology.

Substantial Equivalence via Metabolics
13 October 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
The principle of Substantial Equivalence has been crucial in the debate whether genetically engineered plants might contain unexpected and potentially undesirable changes in their overall metabolite composition.

Biotech Crops Reduce Pesticide Use, Greenhouse Gas Emissions
12 October 2005 PG Economics
After just nine years of commercialisation, biotech crops have made a significant, positive impact on the global economy and environment, decreasing pesticide spraying and reducing the environmental footprint associated with pesticide use by 14 percent, according to a study released today.

How Sorghum Could Help Fight Hunger and Poverty in Africa
12 October 2005 Agriculture Online
Genetic enhancements to the crop could improve nutrition in Africa and start building sustainable economic development there.

Biotech Crops Can Contribute to Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition
12 October 2005 EuropaBio
As another World Food Day approaches - October 16th - its time to accept the positive role of GM technologies.

Prof. Attempts to Create Toxin-Eating Organisms
11 October 2005 Red and Black News
Creating organisms that utilize environmental toxins for sustenance is the focus of microbiology professor Ellen Neidle’s research.

Bollworm Pest Remains Beaten
11 October 2005 Nature
Cotton that has been genetically engineered to be toxic to pests remains effective after nearly a decade in the field, scientists have announced, defying predictions that insects would evolve to tolerate them.

No Go on GMO Moratorium
11 October 2005 Lake County Record Bee
A proposed ordinance to place a moratorium on the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa was defeated in a vote by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

Monsanto Company Sets Webcast and Analyst/Media Call for 2005 Fourth-Quarter and Fiscal-Year Financial Results
10 October 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company said it will issue the company's financial results for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2005 on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2005, prior to market open.

First Biotech Institute in Ethiopia
09 October 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The first biotechnology institute in Ethiopia, Africa is currently being constructed.

New GM Mosquito Sexing Technique is Step Towards Malaria Control, Report Scientists
09 October 2005 Imperial College London
The release of sterile males has proven effective in controlling several insect pests when methods for sorting sex are available.

Brazil Biosafety Congress Yields Manifesto
07 October 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The 4th Brazilian Congress on Biosafety, and the 4th Latin-American Symposium on Transgenic Products were held last September 26-29 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

GM Crops: The Global Economic and Environmental Impact - The First Nine Years 1996-2004
07 October 2005 AgBioForum
The analysis shows that there have been substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to a cumulative total of $27 billion.

Barley Gives Salt Tolerance to GM Oat
07 October 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The plants also showed increased tolerance to salt stress conditions, as well as better growth during the recovery period.

That’s The Game….
07 October 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Biotech enhanced food is no different from any other kind of food we put on our dinner tables.

Super-Strawberries Might Replace Tobacco Fields
07 October 2005 Collegiate Times
Super strawberries may soon replace tobacco crops for southern Virginia Farmers.

Scientists Discover Genetic Key to Growing Hardier, More Productive Plants
07 October 2005 University of Connecticut
A team of scientists led by University of Connecticut plant biologist Roberto Gaxiola has discovered an overlooked genetic key to generating plants that are more productive, more drought resistant and can grow in soils low in nutrients.

Scientist Develops Corn That Can Weather Drought
07 October 2005 Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Corn with a gene from a common soil microogranism can weather a drought while yielding roughly 10 percent more than corn that lacks the gene, researchers from Southern Illinois University Carbondale have found.

Cargill to Process Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) Low-Linolenic Soybeans
06 October 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto and Cargill announced today that Cargill will be a participating processor of Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) low-linolenic soybeans in 2006 and will continue to accelerate the marketing of VISTIVE oil for use by the food industry.

Green Biotech Is Still a Tender Plant in Germany
06 October 2005 Financial Times Deutschland via Checkbiotech
The German state, Saxony-Anhalt, wants to establish itself as the leading location for industry and research of plant biotechnology - and its chances are good.

Chewing Against SARS
06 October 2005 CheckBiotech.org
In order to produce an effective and inexpensive vaccine, Dr. Koprowski and his team expressed the recombinant SARS antigen in transgenic plants.

Engineering Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance
06 October 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
In the developing world, up to 40% of all crop destruction can be directly attributed to plant diseases, with occasional catastrophic, life-threatening losses.

Cotton Producers Want Choices — They’re Getting Them in '06
06 October 2005 Delta Farm Press
In 2006, there will be three Bt technologies and three herbicide-resistant technologies working together in a number of combinations in U.S. cotton fields.

Defeating the 'Superpests'
06 October 2005 BBSRC
Scientists have developed a new technique that makes pesticides more effective by removing insects' ability to exhibit resistance.

Application of a Regeneration qtl Gene to Plant Transformation
05 October 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Plant culture systems are vital to many areas of plant science and crop improvement, particularly in plant transformation.

Lawn Scalping: Unhealthy Practice, GM Grasses Offer Solution
05 October 2005 The Desert Sun via Checkbiotech
An Australian innovation of genetically modified perennial and Italian ryegrasses that prevent hay fever in 95 percent of the population also may soon become available.

Regions Not Allowed to Ban GMOs, Court Rules
05 October 2005 EU Observer
The European Commission won a legal battle on GMOs, as the Austrian region of Upper Austria was prohibited by the EU Court to ban the growing of genetically modified crops.

Changed Liability Brings New Jobs in the White Biotech
04 October 2005 Sueddeutsche.de via Checkbiotech
In a TV duel with Gerhard Schroeder, Angela Merkel presented herself as a friend of the German chemical industry.

Africa Trails Behind in Science and Technology
04 October 2005 The Standard
With a bleak economic outlook in the next 10 years, Africa is in great need for science and technology and could miss most, if not all the UN Millennium Development Goals set for 2015.

Broken Silence: In Search of the Equitable Share
04 October 2005 Manila Bulletin
Genetic engineering on plants such as rice and corn should be practiced in the Philippines to enable the equitable distribution of resources to the entire population.

Gene Specialists Come Out Against Moratorium
04 October 2005 SwissInfo
A group of Swiss scientists has warned that if voters accept a moratorium on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture, research could suffer.

Swedes Develop Anti-Allergy Apple
04 October 2005 Food Business Review
Swedish scientists have developed an apple with a reduced amount of the protein Ma1 d 1, which is known to cause allergic reactions.

Billionth Acre of Biotech Crops Harvested
03 October 2005 Brownfield
A group supportive of biotechnology has estimated that on Sunday the one billionth acre of biotech plants was harvested.

Rise in Oil Price Helps Biotech
03 October 2005 Frankfurter Allgemeine via Checkbiotech
The current worldwide discussion about depletion and price increase of fossil fuels might enhance the acceptance towards plant biotechnology.

Government Recommends a "No" and a "Yes"
03 October 2005 Swiss Politics
Economics Minister Joseph Deiss told a news conference on Monday in Bern that a moratorium on GMOs in agriculture would be bad news for farmers and consumers.

Punjab Set for Record Cotton Production
02 October 2005 Sify.com
According to the state agriculture department, the average yield of BT cotton is 12-14 quintals an acre against an average of 7-8 quintals when the BT cotton was not being grown in the State.

Calcium-Enhanced Potatoes Offer a New Healthy Choice
30 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Transgenic potato tubers containing up to three-fold more calcium may soon be an edible tool for boosting calcium consumption.

Genetics May Have Saved Corn Crops
30 September 2005 Northwest Indiana News
The corn harvest after this summer's drought may turn 2005 into a hallmark year in the genetic modification of plants, industry participants said Thursday.

Soybean Gets Protein Lift
30 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Soybeans are a highly nutritious, protein-rich food source. However, they have lower amounts of the amino acids methionine and cysteine, both of which are essential to human and animal growth and development.

Use of No-Till Farming Spreads as Crops Thrive
30 September 2005 International Herald Tribune
The no-till methods, along with genetically modified seed, transformed the Cerrado region here into the breadbasket of Brazil, responsible for half the country's soybean production and a third of its corn.

A Nutritional Paradox
30 September 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
There is an obvious solution to this feast-or-famine quandary: More people need better access to the right food...Biotechnology also offers solutions.

Healthy Calves Through Edible Vaccines
29 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
In the future, genetically engineered alfalfa plants containing a protein from a pathogen could be used for as production and delivery systems of edible vaccines.

EU's Anti-GM Stance is Unsustainable, Says Study
29 September 2005 Dairy Reporter, France
Europe’s opposition to genetically modified ingredients will significantly increase producers’ costs over the next three years as it becomes ever harder to secure GM-free supplies, says a new report.

Article Examines Argentina's Biotech
29 September 2005 Crop Biotech
In the latest issue of BioEntrepreneur, Veronica Guerrero examines how "Argentina gets serious about biotech" and how its latest laws and policies favor the growth of biotechnology research in the country.

World Cereal Output Revised Downward
29 September 2005 FAO
With this revision, the shortfall in production compared to the expected utilization in 2005/06 has grown, and a larger drawdown in global cereal stocks is now forecast.

The UN's Biotech for Food Scandal
28 September 2005 Tech Central Station
It is concerned with regulatory requirements only for foods made with the newest, most precise and predictable techniques of biotechnology -- while exempting others made with far more crude and less predictable technologies.

Banning the Foot and Mouth Disease Virus Soon with a Promising Vaccine
28 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers from Buenos Aires recently succeeded in developing a prototype vaccine for the Foot and Mouth Disease Virus in genetically modified plants.

Monsanto's Rich Pipeline
28 September 2005 The Motley Fool
With a healthy pipeline and regulatory trends on its side, Monsanto looks extremely well-positioned for the future.

Ag Industry Has Many Projects in the Biotech Pipeline
28 September 2005 Farm and Ranch Guide
This year marks the 10th year that biotech crops have been planted in the United States, including biotech versions of corn, cotton, canola and soybeans. More are on the way.

New Research Confirms That Weed Control Can Impact Seedbanks
28 September 2005 Agricultural Biotechnology Council
A report commissioned by Defra into the seedbanks of fields previously used for the GM field trials confirms that the weed management system used in one year can have an impact on the seedbank in subsequent years.

Ag Leaders Celebrate 10 Years of Biotechnology
27 September 2005 Wisconsin Ag Connection
Congressional and agriculture leaders were in Washington last week to mark the 10th year of commercial biotechnology in the U.S. Also of significance, this year farmers will plant and harvest the one billionth acre of biotech crops globally.

Antibiotic Resistance Markers in GM Plants Not a Risk to Human Health
27 September 2005 The Lancet
Antibiotic-resistance markers in genetically modified (GM) plants do not pose a substantial risk to human health, concludes a review article published in the October issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Fear the Reapers
27 September 2005 Tech Central Station
Defending farmers does not call for banning GMOs, and destroying plants can only put a halt to the process of discovery about the risks linked to them.

Biotech Blitzes Federal Politicians in Ottawa
27 September 2005 Ottawa Business Journal
Vaccines for pandemics. Cheaper and more effective health care. Cleaner air. Purer water. Bigger crops. Safer food. Better environmental safeguards. Protection against bioterrorism.

How Petunias Survive Water Deficiencies
27 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Recently, Japanese researchers found that petunias can better survive a drought when they contain the gene for a key enzyme in proline biosynthesis.

Substantial Compositional Similarity Between Genetically Modified and Conventional Potato Crops
27 September 2005 National Academy of Sciences
We show that, apart from targeted changes, these GM potatoes in this study appear substantially equivalent to traditional cultivars.

A Scientific and Ethical Discussion Regarding Genetic Modification of Plants
27 September 2005 Eudoxa
Although many millions of people have eaten genetically modified food for many years, there is still no indication that it would be harmful to the consumer.

The Worldwide Growth of Ag Biotech
26 September 2005 Wisconsin Technology Network
All told there are more than 34 countries with biotech crops, and this number is growing at a furious rate. Additionally, there a total of 63 countries doing research on ag biotech.

The Corn Next Door: Can Organic and Biotech Crops Coexist?
26 September 2005 The Scientist
Those involved in forging the coexistence plan say things have gone smoothly so far, with no disputes over buffer zones or GM-tainted organic corn. It offers, they say, proof that organic and GM farms can be good neighbors.

Building a Healthier Bean
25 September 2005 Des Moines Register
Now, a new wave of crops, many of them engineered, is emerging that promises benefits to consumers.

Arming Ryegrass for the Fight Against Crown Rust
25 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
A new genetically engineered Italian ryegrass produces an enzyme that destroys the fungus and thereby increases resistance against crown rust disease.

Bio-Fuels: the Wave of the Future
24 September 2005 Financial Express
Through genetic engineering, the efficiency of photosynthesis can be doubled from the current 2%. If that happens, we can have cheap, plentiful, renewable fungible bio-fuels to meet all our energy needs.

Save the Flowers
24 September 2005 Science News
In the past few years, flower scientists have assembled enough knowledge and technology to consider resurrecting scents in flowers that have lost them or engineering plants that produce scents never before experienced by a bee, beetle, or gardener.

Biotech May Be Freed from Govt's Clutches
24 September 2005 Times of India
The biotech industry may have reason to cheer. A government committee has just recommended freeing it from the clutches of environment ministry controls.

Cars That Guzzle Grass
24 September 2005 The New York Times
The development of biofuels highlights one of the biggest changes under way in energy production: the influence of industries and disciplines that until now have been far from the center of the energy picture.

Transgenic BT Technology: 7. Benefits
24 September 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Benefits of a technology should hence be weighed against minimal and acceptable risks and a favourable cost-benefit ratio.

Mission: Burnish Biotech's Image
23 September 2005 Star Tribune
Biotech is now and in the future the most transformational human endeavor ever that can reduce human suffering, prevent premature death and feed exploding world populations.

Phylate-Free to Decrease Water Pollution, Increase Nutrient Up-Take
23 September 2005 Meridian Institute
Researchers at Duke University in the U.S. have developed genetically modified (GM) Arabidopsis thaliana plants that are free of phylates.

Public Participation in Decision-Making Regarding GMOs in Developing Countries: How to Effectively Involve Rural People
23 September 2005 FAO
Production and consumption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is a topical issue and could impact on socio-cultural systems of rural populations in developing countries.

New Kidney Bean Germplasm Line Resists Common Bacterial Blight Disease
23 September 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
A new germplasm line dubbed "USDK-CBB-15" is now available for breeding new varieties of dark red kidney beans that can resist common bacterial blight.

ABARE: Australia to Lose from GM-Free Stance
23 September 2005 Crop Biotech
Australian farmers stand to lose significantly from its country’s genetically modified-free stance on planting transgenic canola.

Monsanto Chief Technology Officer to Address Investment Conference
23 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Robb Fraley will address investors at 2 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, September 28, at the Credit Suisse First Boston Investment Conference in New York.

Monsanto Seed Hosts First-Ever Farm Safety Day
23 September 2005 Marshall Democrat-News
For two days this week, the Monsanto company was transformed from one of the area's largest seed-producing facilities into a gigantic educational establishment that was committed to teaching all Saline County youths about the importance of safety in every aspect of their young lives.

Chinese GM Cotton 'Boosts Yield by up to 25 Percent'
23 September 2005 SciDev.Net
Chinese researchers say they have developed genetically modified (GM) cotton that yields up to 25 per cent more than current GM varieties.

Crop Scientists Improve “Supergrain” for Impoverished Farmers
23 September 2005 Brigham Young University
American crop scientists are using genetic techniques to rapidly increase the production of a South American crop grown by subsistence farmers that is arguably the most nutritious on Earth.

GM Food the Key to Future Survival?
23 September 2005 CSIRO
Public concern about genetically modified (or transgenic) food is unfounded and threatening the use of advanced technologies crucial to feeding the world's population - projected to be nine billion by 2040.

Are Europe's Farmers Warming to GMO Maize?
22 September 2005 Reuters
Farmers in five European Union countries, including France and Germany, have begun commercial growing of genetically modified (GMO) maize and industry officials said on Thursday the trend will increase next year.

UCR Biochemist Goes to Washington with High-Protein Corn
22 September 2005 University of California, Riverside
Daniel Gallie’s findings propose a useful approach to feed the world’s growing population.

AGP to Process Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) Low Linolenic Soybeans for Second Year
22 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto and Ag Processing Inc. announced today that AGP will be a participating processor of Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) low-linolenic soybeans again in 2006 and will market VISTIVE oil for use by the food industry.

Canada to Increase R&D with India
22 September 2005 Silicon India
Canada will increase cooperation with India in energy, biotechnology and nanotechnology, Canadian Trade Minister said.

Denmark Drops Outright Ban on Genetic Modification
22 September 2005 AFP via Checkbiotech.org
The Danish government, which has long been in favour of GMOs but has been unable to obtain a parliamentary majority on the issue, will inform the European Commission of its change of heart next week after finally managing to convince a sufficient number of MPs.

Genetically Altered Plant Attracts Bug "Bodyguards"
22 September 2005 National Geographic
A new genetically modified plant uses chemical signals to invite predatory bugs to dine on unwelcome guests munching on its leaves.

The Commission’s New Biotech Policy
22 September 2005 EUROPA
Europe has to make up its mind whether it wants to use the full potential of green biotech to become competitive vis-à-vis countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, China and India.

Cornell Tapped for Regional Sun Grant Hub to Use $8 million in U.S. Funds to Spearhead Next Green Revolution
21 September 2005 Cornell University
Cornell University is helping to spearhead the next green revolution by using plants to produce energy, industrial chemicals and green materials.

The Future of Food and Medicine
21 September 2005 AgBioWorld
Groups opposing genetically modified crops on ideological, philosophical, or economic grounds have not brought forth scientific evidence to support their claims of negative health consequences or environmental impact.

Consumer Advocacy and Scientific Opinion
21 September 2005 open i
There is no scientific evidence on which opposition to the introduction of genetically modified crops can be justified.

Monsanto Chief Financial Officer Says Recent Success Sets the Stage for Growth in 2006-2007
21 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Confirms Fiscal Year 2005 Earnings Per Share Guidance; Updates Fiscal Year 2005 Free Cash Flow Guidance

Transgenic Crops Can Help Feed Our Population
21 September 2005 Indian Express
Interview with Dr Rakesh Tuli, head of Plant Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering (NBRI) and winner of the Biological Science-2005 award.

Low-linolenic Soybeans Only the Beginning
21 September 2005 Iowa Farmer Today
Food companies are demanding oil from low-lin soybeans because there is strong consumer demand to reduce trans-fats in food products.

GM Food Avoidance Policies to Become More Expensive, According to New Report
21 September 2005 PG Economics
Delivering and maintaining ‘non GM’ policies in the EU food and feed sector is set to become more challenging in the coming year.

Monsanto Company and Targeted Growth, Inc. Announce Commercial Licensing Deal for Yield Enhancement Gene
20 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company and Targeted Growth, Inc. today announced a licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of a yield enhancement gene that was developed by TGI.

Arcadia Biosciences, Monsanto Company Announce Commercial Licensing Deal For Nitrogen Use Efficiency Technology In Canola
20 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Arcadia Biosciences and Monsanto Company today announced a licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of Arcadia's nitrogen use efficiency technology in canola.

BIOTECanada Presents New Poll Results on Canadian Attitudes Toward Biotechnology
20 September 2005 BIOTECanada
The majority of Canadians believe they will benefit from the biotechnology industry at some point in their lives, and those with a higher education are more likely to support the biotechnology industry.

Transgenic BT Technology: 6. Biosecurity
20 September 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Science has answers on all biosecurity concerns. The regulatory process ensures that all questions are answered reasonably satisfactorily.

French Maize Farmer Sees More GMO Converts
19 September 2005 Reuters
He said he expected more French farmers to start taking on new maize types soon. Each time farmers try out GM crops, they really see the benefits.

China Approves New GMO Cotton to Raise Output
19 September 2005 Reuters
China, the world's top grower of genetically modified (GMO) cotton, has approved commercialising a new hybrid variety, which should help the country cut its production shortfall in the commodity.

Copper Sulfate - A Persistent Metallic Pollutant
19 September 2005 AgBioWorld
Recent studies have found the emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria resulting from the use of pesticides.

Standing Up
19 September 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Just when you thought the enemies of biotechnology couldn’t sink any lower, they somehow manage to explore new depths of depravity.

Transgenic BT Technology: 5. Substantial Equivalence of Transgenics and Their Isogenics
19 September 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
PSE is now being applied to products from GEOs, in order to assure the consumer that the product is 'substantially equivalent' to its conventional counterpart and so is safe for human consumption.

Rajma from China Now
18 September 2005 The Hindustan Times
Guess who is posing a challenge to that staple Punjabi favourite, rajma? China. It is genetically modified rajma. And it has an edge over the Indian kidney bean — it is cheaper and easier to cook.

Is Organic Food a Rip-Off?
17 September 2005 Irish Times
It looks good...should taste good...but are you prepared to pay over the odds for food labelled 'organic', in the hope of better health and a good conscience? And do you really know what you are buying?

Iran's Fragile Scientific Renaissance
16 September 2005 Financial Times
The first fruits of Iran's biotech boom are ripening. The Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran has completed field trials of a genetically modified variety of local rice called tarom molai.

EU to Debate Approving Two New GMO Maizes Next Week
16 September 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
Genetically modified (GMO) foods return to the European Union's menu next week when experts and ministers consider authorising two new GMO maizes and maybe break the EU's biotech deadlock.

European Conferences
16 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Lille, France is the site of European Biotech Crossroads on November 28-30, 2005. The 10th Biotech and Finance Forum will be held in Barcelona, Spain on December 1, 2005

Soc Dem Shift Opens Door on GMO
16 September 2005 Denmark
The party said that during today's meeting of the parliament's EU Committee, it will recommend that the government approval of a specific type of GMO maize when it comes up for a vote in the EU.

Gene for Salt Tolerance Found in Rice
16 September 2005 SciDev.Net
Researchers in China and the United States have identified a rice gene linked to salt tolerance, raising hopes of improving the ability of Asia's most important crop to grow in saline soils.

Scientists Request a Reform of the German GM and Stem Cell Bill
16 September 2005 Handelsblatt via CheckBiotech.org
A group of renowned biologists, economists and sociologists have requested a new version of the German law on genetic engineering and stem cell research.

China to Speed up Biotechnology Development
15 September 2005 CRI Online
The development of biotechnology has contributed a lot to the economy, food security and the environment.

Argentina Expects Record Corn Harvest and More GM Varieties
15 September 2005 Bloomberg via Checkbiotech.org
The government will try to improve profit margins on corn by permitting new varieties of genetically modified corn, which will make it cheaper for farmers to produce the crop and help them alternate with soybeans to avert depleting soil nutrients.

New Bio-Economy Web Portal Launched
15 September 2005 EUROPA
As a major EU Commission conference on the bioeconomy opens today in Brussels, a brand new biobased economy portal is launched (www.bio-economy.net).

Plants Are Given an Immune System
14 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers have now been able to evaluate the intracellular performance of antibodies and constructed them in such a way so that they can thwart off pathogens or help regulate cellular events.

Making Plant Cells Work Like Miniature Factories
14 September 2005 Ames Laboratory
This new field, called metabolomics, could result in harnessing plants to efficiently produce biomass for energy production, chemicals and materials for industry or pharmaceuticals, and untold thousands of other uses.

Salt-Resistant Gene of Rice Cloned
13 September 2005 Xinhua
Chinese scientists have successfully cloned SKC1, a salt-resistant functional gene of rice, the use of which is expected to raise and stabilize the rice output of the country.

Argentina Gets Serious about Biotech
13 September 2005 Nature
Among other things, the government views biotech as central to its long-range strategy of creating a more diversified and self-sufficient economy.

How Rice Survives an Herbicide Attack
13 September 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers in Japan have developed transgenic rice that is able to degrade various classes of herbicides.

China Cultivates Record High-Yield "Super Rice"
11 September 2005 Xinhua
Chinese agronomists have cultivated new species of "super rice," the Super Rice II YOU 28, with average per hectare yield reaching a record high of 18,449.55 kilograms.

EU Pushes Biofuel to Fight Climate Change, High Oil
11 September 2005 Reuters UK
The European Union must increase the amount of biomass, a green fuel, in its energy mix as concerns about high oil prices and climate change mount, the EU executive said on Sunday.

The Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy
10 September 2005 European Commission
The European Commission is organising a high-profile conference in Brussels (Belgium) on 15 to 16 September 2005 to chart a course towards a modern knowledge-based bio-economy.

Food Safety of Crops and Foods Produced Through Biotechnology
09 September 2005 Agricultural Biotechnology Communicators
Most scientific experts agree that foods produced through biotechnology are as safe as, or safer than, any other food in the supermarket.

Allergies and Genetically Engineered Foods
09 September 2005 Agricultural Biotechnology Communicators
Instead of creating new allergenic threats, biotechnology is eliminating allergens from common foods.

Kenya to Repeat Field Trial for Bt Maize
09 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) are set to repeat the confined field trial for Bt maize contrary to media reports that the government has terminated it.

Developing Countries Can Benefit from Food Biotech
09 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Modern biotechnologies could be successfully applied to traditional fermentation processes to improve understanding of these processes and improve product quality and consistency in developing countries.

Vitamin A-Rich Mustard for Developing Nations
09 September 2005 Food Quality News
A mustard variety rich in beta-carotene is being developed in India to enhance the vitamin A status of populations in developing countries.

India: Bumper Crop for GM Augmented Cotton
09 September 2005 AKI
The season's favourable climate, coupled with the widespread use of genetically modified seeds (GM) have guaranteed India a bumper cotton harvest with a production of 25 million bales, up seven percent from 2004.

Technology Transfer 'Essential' for African Agriculture
09 September 2005 SciDev.Net
The winner of last year's World Food Prize says major reforms are needed in the way Africa's agricultural research is organised if the continent is to substantially increase food production.

Farm Fresh Also Means Engineered with Biotech
08 September 2005 Lansing State Journal
High-tech seeds in the future will produce plants that make fat-free oils and can grow well during droughts.

Biotechnology for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation
08 September 2005 Peace Journalism Nepal
Biotechnology can significantly strengthen crop-breeding programmes and help produce new varieties with higher yield potential and greater yield stability.

Swiss GM Crop Trial Yields Positive Results
08 September 2005 SwissInfo
A controversial outdoor experiment with genetically modified (GM) wheat has been hailed a success, says the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

Genetic Improvement for Tolerance to Phosphorus Deficiency in Rice
08 September 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
It is scientifically feasible to modify some key regulator(s) controlled by the specific Pi-signaling pathway to enhance the uptake and use efficiency of Pi through genetic engineering.

India Sees Record Cotton Output for Second Year
07 September 2005 Reuters India
India's cotton crop, prone to pest attacks like bollworm, has remained largely free of pests this year because of more use of pest-resistant genetically modified cotton.

The Tide Turns Against Greenpeace
07 September 2005 Social Issues Research Centre
Greenpeace anti-GM food activists may well have done the organisation's reputation irreparable damage.

GM Foods OK in US
07 September 2005 Social Issues Research Centre
It seems ironic that in the United States, a country obsessed with food safety and prone to whimsical dietary fads, confidence in genetically modified foods is very high.

Monsanto's Sales Double in India
07 September 2005 BBC
Global biotech giant Monsanto says its sales of genetically modified cotton seeds in India so far this year are more than double the figure for 2004.

Let Agricultural Innovation Lead the Way
07 September 2005 California Farm Bureau Federation
I can't understand all the misinformation associated with biotechnology, an established practice of modern farming that makes our food more plentiful, longer-lasting and, yes, healthier than ever.

Monsanto Glyphosate Manufacturing Facility Nearly at Full Capacity Following Shutdown From Hurricane Katrina
07 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company said today that the company's Luling, Louisiana, glyphosate manufacturing plant is nearly at full production capacity following a shutdown that began August 27 as Hurricane Katrina approached the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Let Afghan Poppies Bloom
06 September 2005 The Times
Further ahead, Afghanistan could indeed switch crops: to genetically modified poppies, which, Australian research has discovered, could combat malaria and cancer but would be no use to drug addicts.

Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. to Process Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) Low-Linolenic Soybeans in Michigan
06 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto and Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. announced today that ZFS will be a participating processor of Monsanto's VISTIVE(TM) low-linolenic soybeans in 2006 and will market VISTIVE oil for use by the food industry.

French Farmers Head for Gene Maize Harvest
06 September 2005 Reuters
French farmers are days away from starting work on a maize harvest that includes the first documented evidence of genetically modified (GMO) grain.

Farm Group: Biotech Crops a Boon, not a Threat
05 September 2005 Ag Weekly via Checkbiotech.org
Crops developed using biotechnology can provide real economic opportunities for our farmers.

An Age of Reason or an Age of Rage?
05 September 2005 Gulf News via Checkbiotech.org
GM foods offer us the opportunity to feed a hungry world.

Voter Poll Shows Strong Biotech Crops Support
03 September 2005 Western Farm Press via Truth About Trade
A majority of Californians say farmers in their state should not be denied the right to plant biotech crops.

Genetically Engineering Rice - New Breeds Resistant to Diseases and Pests
02 September 2005 The Nation
To improve rice quality and yields, the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec) has developed new breeds of jasmine rice that are tolerant of drought, pests and disease.

Transgenic Alfalfa Produces Isoflavones
02 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
They engineered alfalfa leaves to produce genistein glucoside without affecting regular plant growth or the expression of other alfalfa genes.

Arabidopsis Lends Salt Tolerance to Potato Plants
02 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Plant cells accumulate proline when under drought and salt stress, as it can protect cellular structures from drying out.

TT Workshop in UK
02 September 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The Gordon Science Education and Policy Conference on "Global Aspects of Technology Transfer: Biotechnology" will take place at Queen's College, Oxford, United Kingdom from September 4-9, 2005.

GM Trees Most Poplar Choice for Metals Remediation
02 September 2005 Edie News
Genetically modified poplar trees could offer the best hope for remediation of soils contaminated with high levels of heavy metals such as zinc.

GMO Crops Cultivation to Be Started from 2006
02 September 2005 Business Recorder
Pakistan has developed a number of high yielding and disease resistant Genetically Modified (GMO) crops varieties and its cultivation in Pakistan would be started from next year.

UD Scientists Make Significant Advance in Study of Small RNAs
02 September 2005 University of Delaware
Scientists from the University of Delaware have made a significant advance in the study of small ribonucleic acids, discovering 10 times more small RNAs in the plant Arabidopsis than previously had been identified.

Monsanto Unit Buys 5 Seed Firms for $52 Million
02 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company's American Seeds, Inc. (ASI) subsidiary announced today it made five key strategic additions to its family of regional seed companies.

A Single Gene Controls a Key Difference Between Maize and its Wild Ancestor
01 September 2005 University of Wisconsin
One of the greatest agricultural and evolutionary puzzles is the origin of maize - and part of the answer may lie in a plot of corn on the western edge of Madison, where a hybrid crop gives new life to ancient genetic material.

Bidding to Balance Color with Quality
01 September 2005 CIMMYT
Kenyan farmers bid for color or quality in experimental auctions to determine how well maize with enriched vitamin A will catch on.

GM Trees Most Poplar Choice for Metals Remediation
01 September 2005 Edie News Centre via Checkbiotech
Genetically modified poplar trees could offer the best hope for remediation of soils contaminated with high levels of heavy metals such as zinc.

Monsanto Company Donates $1 Million to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
01 September 2005 Monsanto Co.
The Monsanto Company has pledged $1 million to support the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts focused on helping people with their needs as they begin to restore and rebuild their homes and communities.

Biotech Research Centre to Go Ahead
01 September 2005 The Irish Times
The construction of the Republic's first dedicated research and training facility for the biotechnology sector was approved yesterday by the Government.

BioFortification Holds the Key to Tackling Malnutrition: Experts
01 September 2005 The Hindu via Truth About Trade
Bio-fortification, whether achieved through conventional methods of breeding or biotechnological tools, is a better option for containing malnutrition, according to scientists of the Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute at Aduthurai.

Maize ’Super Seeds’ Bump up SA’s Huge Surplus
31 August 2005 Business Day
Maize farmers’ rapid adoption of high-yielding genetically modified crops has contributed to SA’s surplus.

Monsanto Wins EU Backing for Genetically Modified Rapeseed
31 August 2005 Bloomberg
Monsanto Co., the world's largest developer of genetically engineered crops, won European Union backing for import of a modified rapeseed [GT73].

No Allergy Problems from GM Corn or Soy: Portugal Study
31 August 2005 Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology via Reuters Health
Despite concerns from some critics of genetically modified crops that the foods may raise consumers' risk of allergic reactions, a new study finds no evidence that this is the case.

New Hope for Green Biotechnology in Germany
31 August 2005 Handelsblatt via CheckBiotech.org
Politicians from the German Christian Democratic and the Liberal Parties announced that they want to correct the current rigid policy regarding green biotechnology.

Commission Authorises Import of GM-Oilseed Rape for Use in Animal Feed
31 August 2005 European Commission
The European Commission authorised today the placing on the market of the genetically modified oilseed rape known as GT73 for import and processing.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa Now Available to Producers
31 August 2005 Farm & Ranch Guide
Most of the regulatory hurdles have been cleared and Roundup® Ready (RR) alfalfa seed is now available for producers.

Experts Stress for Awareness about GM Food Crops
31 August 2005 Bangladesh News
A group of Biotechnology experts on Monday stressed the need for awareness among the people about genetically modified crops, which are safe for consumption.

Nutritional Impact of Monsanto's New Low Linolenic Soy Beans Now Being Harvested in the United States
31 August 2005 Monsanto UK
Vistive low linolenic acid soybean oil is a new soybean oil that does not require hydrogenation to be used in many types of processed foods.

'No Evidence to Show GMO a Danger'
30 August 2005 iAfrica
There is no scientific peer proven evidence anywhere in the world to show that food from GM crops poses a danger to humans or animals and to the environment.

GMO Farming Offers 'Immense Economic Advantages'
30 August 2005 Mail & Guardian
South Africa planted 400,000 hectares of GM crops, and a large percentage was grown by smallholder emergent farmers.

GM Crop that Holds on to its Seeds Offers Higher Yields
30 August 2005 SciDev.Net
Researchers have found a way of boosting the yield of a major crop by stopping its seedpods from bursting open.

Artist Takes a Bite out of Apple
29 August 2005 The Guardian
GM crops are widely seen as unacceptable in the west but may be the difference between starvation and survival in the developing world.

Biotechnology Holds Plenty of Promise for Agriculture
29 August 2005 Farm Bureau
Imagine food and feed crops that tolerate drought better and corn that converts to ethanol more easily and efficiently – these are just two of the breakthroughs expected from biotechnology research.

This Is One GM That’ll Be the Boss
29 August 2005 The Economic Times
Environmentalists will cry murder but the coming decades may well belong to genetically modified crops in major parts of the world as higher yields and lower costs turn sentiment and farmers in most rural areas across the world benefit.

Monsanto Donates K124m for Relief Food
29 August 2005 Nation Online
Maize seed maker Monsanto Malawi through the worldwide Monsanto Fund on Friday donated $1 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) for the provision of emergency relief food aid to the poor and drought-affected population in the country.

USAID Project to Promote GM Crops
29 August 2005 Financial Express
The consortium partners propose to boost food security, nutrition and environmental quality in Africa, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Philippines.

Transgenic Bt Technology: 4. Variation in Gene Expression
29 August 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
No crop variety, either conventional or genetically engineered, can be expected to perform uniformly throughout the entire area, or history, of its cultivation.

Large EU Project Has Been Launched: Improving Health by Exploiting the Whole Grain
29 August 2005 eFinland
Novel cereal foods can be a meaningful tool in the fight against metabolic syndrome related diseases.

Transgenic Bt Technology: 3. Expression of Transgenes
27 August 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
It is necessary to know how a Bt gene is expressing in a transgenic variety, in order to evaluate its effectiveness against the targeted pest.

Fact Sheet on Biotech Crops in India
26 August 2005 Crop Biotech Net
There are now 14 biotech crops under development in India as of 2005.

G&D-Rockefeller Fellowships for Enhancing the Careers of East African Women Scientists
26 August 2005 CGIAR
G&D is proud to announce the first 11 awardees of a new fellowship program for women crop scientists working in national research institutes (NARIs) and universities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Workshop Report Details Sorghum Genome Research
26 August 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Workshop participants proposed a three-stage strategy to complete the sequencing of the sorghum genome.

CORDIA to Host DTI Round-Table on Biotechnology
26 August 2005 Cordia Convention
The UK Department of Trade and Industry has chosen this year’s CORDIA Biotechnology Convention (London, Oct 9th-13th) to hold an international Round-table on Biotechnology.

Iowans Talk Biotech with Chinese
26 August 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Biotechnology will be critical to feeding China’s growing population, said a key government official at a forum with Iowa farmers in Beijing.

Research Could Alter Perception of GMOs
26 August 2005 Farmers Guardian
A team of American scientists has discovered a plant gene that may alter research and production of genetically modified crops as well as public opinion of the technology worldwide.

Poplars Long for Zinc
25 August 2005 Checkbiotech.org
Poplars are now proposed as efficient cleaners of soil containing high concentrations of zinc.

Monsanto Readies Distribution of New GM Corn
25 August 2005 Sun Star
Seed giant Monsanto Philippines will begin over the commercial distribution here of a genetically-engineered corn variety that could resist both the destructive Asiatic corn borer and herbicides used to eliminate field weeds.

Bacteria Are Key to 'Green' Plastics, Drugs
24 August 2005 Rice University
Developed at Rice University, the technology uses a genetically modified form of the bacteria E. coli that metabolizes glucose and produces almost pure succinate.

Small but Powerful
24 August 2005 Checkbiotech.org
Plants are a promising system for the production of pharmaceutical proteins.

Chinese Potato Link in Scottish Sights
24 August 2005 The Courier
There is, according to Dr Wei, no consumer resistance to GM crops in China, which will widen their options for an accelerated breeding programme.

Corn Research Digs Deeper into Fundamental Traits
24 August 2005 Iowa Farmer Today
Corn research is reaching deeper into the fundamentals of what drives yield in a plant.

Research Aimed at Drought-Resistant Corn
24 August 2005 Iowa Farmer Today
University and seed industry researchers are busy working to find a combination of traits in corn that could minimize yield losses during dry periods.

'Green' Radicals Shun Science
24 August 2005 The Daily Oklahoman
Genetically enhanced crops reduce chemical pesticides, boost yield and reduce soil erosion.

Top of the Crops
23 August 2005 The Guardian
The world's population is expanding by 86 million a year - but GM rice can save us from famine.

U.S. Farms Could Yield Bumper Crop of Energy
23 August 2005 USA Today
The fact that glues, inks, paints, plastics and fuels can be made with soybeans is for most people merely a fascinating bit of science.

Fears of Genetically Modified Crops Are Unfounded, Panel Says
22 August 2005 Lincoln Journal Star
Eating products made with genetically modified crops is not a risky venture, despite fears such scientific tinkering generates, a panel of experts said Saturday.

Forum Touts Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops
22 August 2005 AP via Sioux City Journal
Misleading information in the public domain about risks often drowns out the positives of genetically modified crops, such as reducing the need for pesticides and adding vitamins and minerals.

Toxic Scare Stories Help Raise Funds
22 August 2005 The Calgary Herald
In a curious way, those same groups, by condemning GM plants, are encouraging the continued and increased use of pesticides.

Sorghum to Be the Second Cereal Crop Sequenced
22 August 2005 National Grain Sorghum Producers
The National Sorghum Producers (NSP) announced that sorghum will be the second cereal crop genome to be sequenced.

Scientists Hope to Ease GM Fears
21 August 2005 BBC
US scientists have developed a new method for genetically modifying crops which they believe may remove some concerns over safety.

Britain's Organic Food Scam Exposed
21 August 2005 The Observer
Britain's organic food revolution was facing its first serious test last night after an Observer investigation revealed disturbing levels of fraud within the industry.

GM Coco to Boost RP Market Position
21 August 2005 Manila Bulletin
The Philippines is developing a genetically modified (GM) coconut with increased lauric acid to equal at least canola's 60 percent content to enable it to keep a leadership in the world's vegetable oil export market.

AIT Holds Seminar on Crop Biotechnology
20 August 2005 China Post
Dr. Chassy called for "distinguishing fact from fiction" to increase public awareness of the safety of GM crops.

All GM Crops Have to Pass Hundreds of Safety Checks
18 August 2005 The Daily Express
The biotech companies involved in the development of GM crops are obliged to adhere to a strict regulatory regime.

The Future of Agriculture is Now
18 August 2005 AgWeb
Biotechnology is rapidly becoming the 'new conventional'.

Study Points the Way to More Nutritious Animal Feed
17 August 2005 Duke University
Their studies indicate that it is feasible to engineer such plants to significantly improve their quality as animal feeds -- a potentially important boon to the hog and poultry industries, said the researchers.

Genetically Modified Trees, Plants Clean Up
17 August 2005 AP via The Post Standard
On the site of a former hat factory in Danbury, Conn., a stand of genetically altered cottonwood trees sucks mercury from the contaminated soil.

Roundup Ready Corn Acreage Up 40% Over Last Year
17 August 2005 Agriculture Online
Growers planted the Roundup Ready® Corn 2 System on more than 24 million acres in 2005, a record level.

Monsanto Dismisses GM Maize "Loophole" Claims
17 August 2005 Society of Chemical Industry via Checkbiotech.org
Reports that UK farmers can exploit a GM loophole to grow their own GM maize are wildly exaggerated, according to Monsanto.

The Benefits of GM Crops
17 August 2005 Online Opinion
These transgenic cottons put important management constraints on farmers - to preserve the value of the impacts of the new technologies.

Ghana Drafts GM Safety Legislation
17 August 2005 SciDevNet
If the Ghanaian cabinet approves the environment ministry's biosafety legislation, it will go to parliament for ratification.

More Crop for the Drop
17 August 2005 The Washington Times
Gene-splicing, sometimes called genetic modification (GM), offers plant breeders tools to make old crop plants do spectacular new things.

Cocoa Research Could Guarantee Crop Quality and Yield
16 August 2005 Food Navigator
A new research project aimed at improving the quality and yields of cocoa crops through a better understanding of the plant’s genetic make-up is being undertaken by the UK’s University of Reading.

Greenpeace Anti-GM Campaign Doomed
15 August 2005 Online Opinon
It really is time for Greenpeace to move on and accept the opportunities presented by the new GM technology - accept that their campaign is doomed.

Philippine Corn Acreage May Increase With Transgenic Seed
15 August 2005 Dow Jones via Yahoo! Singapore
Philippine corn acreage is expected to increase with commercial availability of a new corn variety resistant to the Asiatic corn borer, the Department of Agriculture said Monday.

Genetically Modified Crops Used to Find Gold
15 August 2005 Azonano via Checkbiotech.org
In the future, industrial nanoparticles may not be produced in a laboratory, but grown in fields of genetically engineered crops - what might be called “particle farming.”

Please Be Careful
15 August 2005 Legal Times
The enshrinement of the precautionary principle sets Europe down a path that will wreak havoc on the economy and public health of not only itself but also its trading partners.

No: Much of It Is Risky to Eat and -- Gasp -- Produced by Big Corporations Anyway
15 August 2005 Duluth News Tribune
The romantic dream of better, organically grown food coming exclusively from a local family farm is just that -- a dream, an illusion.

Still Hungry
14 August 2005 The Observer
Many agronomists and even some NGO lobbyists now admit that bio-technology has to be allowed to play its part in providing for the world's future.

Long-Sought Flower-Inducing Molecule Found
13 August 2005 The Swedish Research Council
Researchers at the Umeå Plant Science Centre at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden, report about a breakthrough in our understanding of how plants control their flowering.

My Favorite Things Or What’s in the Biotech Pipeline?
12 August 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Biotechnology has transformed our lives. The transformation will not only continue but the pace of change will actually quicken.

Statement RE: My Sadness at the Privatisation of Iraq
12 August 2005 Monsanto UK
The law does not prohibit Iraqi farmers from using or saving "traditional" seeds.

Bt Cotton Study Doesn't Raise Doubts Over its Effectiveness
12 August 2005 The Hindu Business Line
Mr Keshav Kranthi has said that - contrary to reports - his study on Bt cotton "has not raised any doubts about the Bt toxins ability to kill bollworm.

Agriculture and Intercultural Dialogue: World Food Day 2005 Theme
12 August 2005 FAO
'Agriculture and intercultural dialogue' is the theme of this year's World Food Day, FAO said today.

Work on Advanced Rice Variety
12 August 2005 Times of India
Scientists in India are raring to start work on creating an advanced rice variety which would be pest resistant, have higher nutritional value and be able to survive in dry, almost drought-like conditions.

'US$15 Billion Needed' for African Crop Research
12 August 2005 SciDevNet
Some $15 billion will need to be spent on agricultural research in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 20 years if efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition are to succeed.

Enriched Lysine Plants to Fight Malnutrition
11 August 2005 Checkbiotech.org
In order to decrease the problem of malnutrition, various studies have been carried out to obtain a better understanding of the biosynthesis of lysine.

Call to Adopt Modern, Improved Technology to Boost Crop Output
11 August 2005 Financial Express
Agriculture Minister MK Anwar has underscored the need for adopting modern and improved technologies in agriculture to increase crop production in marginal land of the country.

India Seen Heading for Record Cotton Crop
11 August 2005 Reuters
Yields were expected to be better this year with the growing popularity of genetically modified cotton, which was introduced in the country in 2002.

Area Farmers Boost Use of Biotech Corn Types
11 August 2005 Kansas City Business Journal
Missouri and Kansas farmers increased their use of all biotech varieties of corn in 2005 compared with 2004, according to results of a survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

How Barley Deals with Aluminium
10 August 2005 Checkbiotech.org
By genetically engineering barley, researchers have now been able to make it more tolerant to an acidic environment.

Revelations of Rice
10 August 2005 University of Arizona
The complete genetic code of the rice plant has been deciphered by researchers at The University of Arizona's plant sciences department and UA's BIO5 Institute and other members of an international consortium.

Health Professionals Hold Positive Attitudes Toward Biotechnology
10 August 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Attitudes toward GE were positive...All groups supported the use of genetic engineering to produce human medicines and the current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling policy.

International Research Team Announces Finished Rice Genome
10 August 2005 The Institute for Genomic Research
TIGR scientists say first complete crop genome will improve agriculture.

'Worst GM Pollution Incident' Vanishes
09 August 2005 The Telegraph
What was billed by the media as the world's worst incident of pollution by genetically-engineered crops, one that provoked a row among scientists, has vanished, says a study published today.

Genetically Modified Maize Not Found in Southern Mexico
09 August 2005 Ohio State University
After analyzing tens of thousands of seeds from maize crops grown in 2003 and 2004, researchers from Mexico and the United States found no evidence of transgenes in these indigenous varieties.

Duh.... No GM Genes in Mexican Corn
09 August 2005 AgBioWorld
Mexican and U.S. scientists have now positively confirmed that biotech traits are not present in native landraces of maize in Oaxaca.

CHS To Process Monsanto’s Vistive™ Low-Linolenic Soybeans
09 August 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto announced today that CHS will be a participating processor of Monsanto’s VISTIVE™ low-linolenic soybeans in 2006 and will market VISTIVE oil for use by the food industry.

No Evidence' GM Genes Are Still In Local Mexican Maize
09 August 2005 SciDevNet
Research published today says that there is no evidence to support controversial claims made in 2001 that genetically modified (GM) maize had 'contaminated' local varieties of the crop in Mexico.

GMOs: Commission Authorises the Import of GM Maize MON 863 for Use in Animal Feed
08 August 2005 EUROPA
The European Commission authorised today the placing on the market of the genetically modified maize MON 863 for import and processing as animal feed.

Popularity of Monsanto's Triple-Stacked Variety Grows
08 August 2005 The Philadelphia Inquirer via Checkbiotech.org
Midwest farmers turned this year to a Monsanto Co. seed that works with a popular weed-killer and fends off two potentially devastating pests.

Hutton Wants Media to End 'Scare Stories' on GM Crops
08 August 2005 The Independent
A cabinet minister has revealed that the Government is launching a charm offensive to stop the media reporting scare stories about GM crops.

John Hutton: 'The Media Are Entitled to Be Sceptical but the Scientific Context is Important'
08 August 2005 The Independent
The Monday Interview: Cabinet Office Minister

Najib Calls for More R&D in Biotech
08 August 2005 The Edge Daily
The Malaysian government has called for more research and development in the field of biotechnology.

GM Rice 'Could Reduce Reliance on Phosphate Fertiliser'
08 August 2005 SciDevNet
Chinese scientists have genetically modified rice to grow well in soil that has low levels of the mineral phosphate.

Biotechnology: Zimbabwe Must Learn from China
08 August 2005 New Zimbabwe
When Mugabe travels to Beijing again, China should remind him that its wealth has been accrued from modern biotechnology.

Government Urged to Scrap Duty on Biofuels and Drive Biodiesel Cars
06 August 2005 The Irish Examiner
The Green Party has urged the Government to scrap excise duty on biofuels and has called for the State’s fleet of ministerial cars to be converted to run on biodiesel.

China Documents Bt Cotton Experience
05 August 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Bt cotton, the first biotechnology crop approved for commercialization in China, now accounts for more than 60 percent of the total acreage of cotton in the country.

Islam and Biotech Addressed in Malaysia
05 August 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Essentially, there is no paradox between the Islam faith and biotechnology.

EBC Slated for November 2005
05 August 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The European Biotech Crossroads (EBC) is a professional event in Europe's biotechnology sector.

Towards ‘Stacked’ Traits – Prospects for Multi-Gene Manipulation in Plants
05 August 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
A variety of conventional and more novel methods for multi-gene manipulation are currently being developed or tested, presenting the hopeful prospect of soon overcoming one of the major challenges currently facing plant biotechnology.

A Lesson in Time
05 August 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
The process continues today--and the miracle of biotechnology makes it possible for plant breeders to do in a short amount of time what it took early farmers millennia to accomplish.

Transgenic Seeds - the White Hope of Brinjal Growers
05 August 2005 The Hindu Business Line
Farmers burdened by yield losses in brinjal crops due to fruit and shoot borer insect pest now have a ray of hope.

Breakthrough: Structure Of Membrane Protein Described By Hebrew University, German Researchers
05 August 2005 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Membrane protein research is at the forefront of modern biological study, with great potential consequences for development of new medicinal treatments and genetic engineering of plants.

Transgenic Bt Technology: 2. Bt Crop Varieties
05 August 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Specific Bt toxin encoding genes were isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis to develop transgenic Bt varieties, using complex yet elegant procedures of genetic engineering.

Research in France Opens Light on Protein Oxidation
05 August 2005 Biotech Week via Checkbiotech.org
Recent research from France has defined the patterns of protein oxidation in Arabidopsis seeds and during germination.

Scientists Give Thought for Food at 2005 Biotechnology Conference
05 August 2005 Texas A&M University AgNews
The new agriculture is very much consumer-driven. They want their food to be safe, healthy, high quality, low cost and for it to not trash the environment.

Is Bt Cotton Unsuitable?
05 August 2005 The Hindu
Bt cotton is the most potent and best available option for bollworm management in the country.

Trapped Genes Show How Flower Development is Controlled
04 August 2005 Yale University
Scientists at Yale and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory report the first large-scale survey of patterns of gene expression in flowers.

Soybean Farmers Developing Less Fatty Cooking Oil
04 August 2005 Scripps Howard News Service
Soybean farmers are battling to keep their market dominance in cooking oils with a new generation of plants that don't produce the transfats that are linked to heart disease.

Publish or Be Damned
04 August 2005 The Guardian
So often with "science by press release", newspapers will cover a story, even though the scientific paper doesn't exist, assuming it's around the corner.

Building Public Confidence in Agricultural Biotechnology
03 August 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Biotechnologists, product developers and those who believe in technology should rise to the occasion and lift agricultural biotechnology from the current morass.

Philippines Approves Planting of 4th Biotech Corn
03 August 2005 Reuters via CheckBiotech.org
According to Reuters, the Phillipines has approved a fourth genetically modified (GM) corn, developed by Monsanto, for sale and planting.

Janis Discusses Agricultural Intellectual Property Law With Farm Bureau
03 August 2005 University of Iowa
Among other topics, he criticized news stories about intellectual property rights in agriculture as frequently alarmist.

Make Use of BT Revolution
03 August 2005 Business Standard
Joint research director of Mehyco Usha Jehra has stressed the need to benefit from the biotechnology revolution which has been raging the world over in order to meet the future challenges.

Report Recommends Tasmania Pursues GM Foods
01 August 2005 ABC (AU)
A report commissioned by the Tasmanian Government recommends that the state lead the way nationally in producing and selling genetically modified [GM] foods.

Trapping Genes That Control Flower Development
01 August 2005 American Society of Plant Biologists
Scientists use molecular "gene trap" to identify dozens of genes involved in the regulation of flower development.

New Molecule May Aid in Production of Biofuels and Fungi-Resistant Plants
01 August 2005 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This new molecule could eventually aid in the engineering of fungi-resistant plants and could also lead to the discovery of similar molecules that can be used in cellulose-based biofuel production.

Nature Outlook: India
31 July 2005 SciDev.Net
Nature has gathered a special collection of articles on science in India, covering recent successes and ongoing obstacles.

Ammanet Discusses Use of MAS to Improve Crops
29 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The African Molecular Marker Applications Network (AMMANET) members recently met in Nairobi to strategize on how to use DNA Molecular Marker technology to improve crops in Africa.

Transgenic Corn Field Trials in Bavaria to Provide Insight
29 July 2005 Deutscher Depeschendienst via Checkbiotech.org
This year genetically modified corn will again be grown on state-owned fields in Bavaria, Germany, for experimental purposes.

Genetically Engineered Alfalfa and Lettuce Provide Healthy Pigs
29 July 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Scientists now have the know-how to genetically engineer plants to produce pharmacologically active proteins.

Indian Agri Minister Favors Biotech R&D
29 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
It is essential to develop world class biotechnology research facilities in the country and deploy biotechnological advances to Indian agriculture.

Workshop on Organisms Opens
28 July 2005 Ghana Web
Since we are in the era of science and technology, Ghana should take part in the Green Revolution or stand the risk of being left behind.

CGIAR Notes Research Impacts on Africa
28 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
CGIAR has assisted Africa to provide new crop and farming technologies that benefit poor farmers, create wealth, and protect the environment.

Drought-Resistant Corn Sprouts
27 July 2005 USA Today
For areas where farmers use irrigation to grow crops, the drought-tolerant trait would allow them to lower their water usage and cut costs.

Transgenic Bt Technology: 1. Bacillus Thuringiensis and Bt Toxins
27 July 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Transgenic technology, involving a wide range of pesticidal genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringinesis (Bt), dominates the scenario of agricultural biotechnology.

Futures Market
26 July 2005 The Daily Mirror
BT's futurology department has included fruit genetically modified to carry vaccines as one of the technologies that will change the world.

Fighting Against Cervical Cancer, Tobacco Raises Hope
26 July 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Many women in developing countries suffer from these harmful viruses. Therefore, inexpensive and easily administered vaccines are of great need.

Rice Learning to Cope with Salinity
26 July 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Salinization of agricultural soil constitutes a global problem in particular in arid climates. However, a few researchers in India have an answer.

Are We Scaring Ourselves to Death?
25 July 2005 Irish Independent
GM technology enhances the nutritional quality of crops and in the future could slash world hunger by boosting yields, enabling plants to grow on arid, salty land.

Potential of NU Research Is Showing
25 July 2005 Lincoln Journal Star
University of Nebraska Prof. Marty Dickman's newly patented plant gene is an example of the potential within reach when a university invests in research.

GM Foods: Popular Myths
25 July 2005 Health24
In this article on genetically modified (GM) foods, DietDoc takes a look at some of the most persistent myths that do the rounds – and the actual facts.

Brazil Maps Banana Genome and Vows to Save Fruit from Extinction
22 July 2005 Brazzil Magazine
Genetic improvement has reached bananas. The results of the first phase of the Banana Genome program were presented yesterday, July 20, in Brazilian capital Brasília.

Suppressed Gene Delays Tomato Ripening
22 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Researchers suppressed the activity of DHS in tomato plants and found that the tomato fruits did not ripen as quickly as their conventional counterparts.

Crop Biotech – Opportunity to Develop Sustainable Future
22 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The implementation of a system to enable a sustainable platform for the future should be given high priority in society.

Research Compares GM, Conventional Potato Varieties
22 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
There was much less variation between GM lines and their non-GM controls, compared with that found between different varieties and landraces.

Public Sector Biotechnology Research in Africa
22 July 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Paying for biotech research while having no impact on food production productivity is a luxury that African countries cannot afford.

EU Political Climate Slows Biotech Effort
21 July 2005 AgriNews
The European Union has slowed biotechnology efforts in those countries, according to observations made by U.S. agriculture leaders during a 10-day trip.

Africa Union Sets Up Biotechnology Advisory Panel
21 July 2005 SciDev.Net
A panel has been set up to advise the African Union on ways of building capacity to apply and safely handle modern biotechnology.

Minister Hints at Good Times Ahead for Biofuel
21 July 2005 The Scotsman
Supporters of the biodiesel movement were offered a tantalising forecast of jam tomorrow by a government minister yesterday.

BIO Praises New Plan To Spur Commercialization of Biofuels
20 July 2005 BIO
Report calls for government incentives to bring biofuels to the pump and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

India Plumbs Biotech Benefits for Nutrition, Markets, Development
20 July 2005 Farm Week
Biotechnology “has a definite role to play” in improving Indian ag productivity and consumer nutrition and, potentially, fueling an energy-hungry nation.

GM Crop Co-Existence in the UK
20 July 2005 UK Parliament (House of Commons)
Government minister Elliot Morley MP not only emphasised how potential cross-pollination can only take place between crops of the same or very closely related species, but also that for some crops, cross-pollination does not affect the harvested material.

Destructive Virus Threatens Tomato Industry
20 July 2005 Minda News
Resistant lines of tomato against ToLCV have reportedly been developed and initial efficacy trials of these resistant lines in Taiwan, Southern India, and Thailand have showed promising results.

Farmers May Start Planting GM Maize in Three Years
19 July 2005 The Nation via allAfrica
A new maize seed resistant to the stem-borer will be available to farmers in 2008, scientists say.

A New Molecule Discovered in the Battle Between Plants and Disease
19 July 2005 American Society of Plant Biologists
Washington State University researcher's findings could help crops fend off disease.

PM's Address to Joint Session of the US Congress
19 July 2005 Press Information Bureau - India
Excerpt of the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address to the Joint Session of the US Congress.

New Project to Help Improve the Diet of the World’s Poor
19 July 2005 University of Bath
Scientists at the University of Bath will be taking part in an international £4.2 million ($7.5 million) research project that could help millions of people avoid starvation.

U.S. Announces Two New Agriculture Initiatives To Aid Africa
19 July 2005 U.S. Department of State
Syon’goh also called on African farmers to “embrace biotechnology” in order to improve productivity by the hectare and to make farming a viable occupation.

Genetic Discovery Could Lead to Drought-Resistant Plants
18 July 2005 University of Toronto
Botanists discover gene that allows plants to adapt to changes in light, carbon and water availability.

The Path to Prosperity in Africa Starts in St. Louis
18 July 2005 St. Louis Post Dispatch
It's in Africa's best interest to embrace this promising technology. I welcome the day when news of a revolution in Africa refers to strides in agriculture, rather than a political coup.

Israeli Research Protects the Environment
17 July 2005 The State of Israel
Prof. Edward Bayer of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Chemistry Department has developed a process that one day may yield a solution to the global wastepaper glut.

EU Food Agency Gives Green Light to GMO Hybrids
15 July 2005 Reuters
In its first evaluation of hybrid strains that include multiple quality traits, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) determined that Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) maize types MON 863, MON 810 and NK 603 are safe for humans, animals and the environment.

Family-Run Brewery Serves Up GM Beer
15 July 2005 CNN
Kenth brews its beer using corn that has been genetically modified to protect it against pests.

Research Looks into Cold, Salt Intolerant Plant
15 July 2005 Crop Biotech
Jianhua Zhu of Purdue University, USA found out that “HOS10 encodes an R2R3-type MYB transcription factor essential for cold acclimation in plants.

Kenya’s Biotechnology Policy to Be Tabled in Parliament
15 July 2005 Crop Biotech
The Kenya National Biotechnology Policy will soon be tabled in parliament for debate, leading to its adoption and implementation.

Africa: Research into GM Crops Critical to Ending Hunger - IFPRI
15 July 2005 Reuters
Research into genetically modified (GM) crops is crucial to improving food security and reducing poverty in Africa, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

GM Cassava Uses Viral Gene to Fight Disease
15 July 2005 SciDev.Net
Researchers have used genes from a virus that periodically devastates cassava crops in Africa to create cassava plants that can resist the virus. The finding could save African farmers large economic losses.

India Needs More Biotech Labs: Panwar
15 July 2005 Sify.com
Government on Friday emphasised on the need to develop world-class biotechnological research facilities in the country in order to drive economic benefits of technological changes happening globally.

Biofuels Are Helping Build Rural Economies
15 July 2005 Council for Biotechnology Information
From China to South Africa, biofuels are helping to boost farmer incomes.

Tomato Gets Nutrient Boost
15 July 2005 Crop Biotech
The research shows new work on raising the levels of nutritious compounds in tomato through the use of inverted repeat RNA interference (RNAi) constructs.

A Big Step in Understanding Plant Growth and Development
14 July 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers in the U.K. and the U.S. have identified a long sought key player in plant development and growth. Could this start a new biotech boom?

Climate Only Partly to Blame for Africa Food Woes
14 July 2005 Reuters UK
According to this story, the use of genetically modified (GM) seeds has contributed to surplus maize harvest in South Africa's Free State.

GM Tests Given Green Light in Alsace
14 July 2005 Decanter.com
Tests in Alsace using genetically modified rootstocks were given the go-ahead by the French agriculture ministry last week.

Africa Urged to Drop Resistance to Biotech Crop Research, GM Food
14 July 2005 AFP via Yahoo! UK
A leading international agricultural policy group urged African nations to drop opposition to biotechnology crop research and genetically modified foods.

Biotechnology in Forestry Gaining Ground
13 July 2005 FAO
Research and applications of biotechnology in forestry are advancing rapidly, FAO said today.

Effects of Biotechnology on Biodiversity: Herbicide-Tolerant and Insect-Resistant GM Crops
13 July 2005 Botanischer Garten Bern
Biodiversity is threatened by agriculture as a whole, and particularly also by traditional methods of agriculture.

New Varieties and Techniques Make Barley Better For Fuel and Food
13 July 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
New varieties of barley could help solve two national problems: energy dependence and obesity.

Paraguayan Govt to Approve Transgenic Cotton Crops
13 July 2005 Latin America News Digest
The Government of Paraguay will approve the genetic modification of cotton crops in the country with the aim to raise Paraguayan agriculture competitiveness.

Australian Cotton Farmers Work Wonders Despite Handicaps
13 July 2005 Indian Express - Textile
Introduction of GM technology and latest water management practices have provided a distinct edge to the Australian cotton economy.

Biodiesel Cooperatives Can Wipe Out Poverty
13 July 2005 Times of India
The government should declare its biodiesel policy and set targets, like the US, the EU or China.

Africa Missing Out on Biotech Crops, Researchers Say
13 July 2005 Scripps Howard News Service
Regulatory hurdles are preventing African farmers from reaping the benefits of genetically modified foods that could relieve hunger and lessen the need for outside food assistance, a team of international food scientists said Wednesday.

New Study Debunks Misconceptions About Biotech Crop Research in Africa
13 July 2005 International Food Policy Research Institute
According to the study, current biotech research has the potential to reduce the use of pesticides, increase drought tolerance, and improve the nutritional value of staple foods.

Why Eating Organic Food Can Be Bad for You
12 July 2005 The Independent
With some exceptions, organic agriculture is substantially less efficient than the most modern agricultural technologies that are available, precisely because it eschews those technologies.

Consultant Disputes GM Crop Claims
12 July 2005 ABC (AU)
A Western Australian farm consultant has rejected claims that genetically modified (GM) crops perform poorly in dry conditions.

China Approves Another GM Crop, Opens Markets with US
12 July 2005 USDA
A great example of our cooperative efforts is in the area of biotechnology where we are working together on the development and use of agricultural biotechnology that benefits farmers and consumers alike.

Nuffield Council Questions Impact of European Regulations on GM Crops
11 July 2005 Financial Express
The London-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics has questioned the impact of European regulations on genetically-modified (GM) crops in developing countries.

Gene Find May Produce Drought-Resistant Crops
11 July 2005 ABC (AU)
Australian scientists have made a significant breakthrough in genetic research which could lead to the development of drought-resistant crops and save farmers hundreds of millions of dollars.

China OKs Monsanto GM Corn
11 July 2005 Reuters via Truth About Trade & Technology
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has approved Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) corn NK603 for import.

Researchers Ready to Tap New Fund for Life Sciences
11 July 2005 AP via King County Journal
A research project at Washington State University could genetically modify the everyday potato into a plant with more protein and vitamin A.

Roundup Ready Corn Making Inroads in W. Washington
11 July 2005 Capital Press
Although adoption of biotech crops in Western Washington has been slow compared to the Midwest, an increasing number of acres in the region are being planted in Roundup Ready 2 corn.

From Groundwork to Groundnuts
11 July 2005 Outlook India via Checkbiotech.org
Dr. Sharma is principal scientist at this transgenic lab that has produced the world’s first genetically modified groundnut, pigeon pea and chickpea.

Biotech Acreage on the Rise Across U.S.
10 July 2005 Capital Press
The numbers aren’t growing by leaps and bounds lately, but they are growing.

Trio of Plant Genes Prevents 'Too Many Mouths'
08 July 2005 University of Washington Office of News and Information
A signaling pathway required for plants to grow to their normal size appears to have an unexpected dual purpose of keeping the plants from wallpapering themselves with too many densely clustered stomata.

Using Transgenic Plants as a Source of Genetic Diversity for Breeding Greater Drought Tolerance into Wheat
07 July 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Among abiotic stresses, drought is the most important from an economic standpoint and likely the most intractable to breeders' efforts.

Farmers Use More Biotech Crops
07 July 2005 Wisconsin State Journal
The furrows of Wisconsin farm fields are seeing a rise in genetically modified crops, a recently released federal survey reported.

Developing Countries Now Have Well-Developed Biotechnology Programs
07 July 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Several developing countries now have well-developed biotechnology programs; they are approaching the leading edge of biotechnology applications and have significant research capacity.

Advances in Rice Biotechnology in the New Millennium
07 July 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Rice genetic transformation has taken rapid strides since the first transgenic rice plant was produced 15 years ago.

Biotech Opens Doors to Andean Development
07 July 2005 IPS-Inter Press Service
The aid of the sweet potato for fighting vitamin A deficiency in Africa, and a biological agent that fights moulds which attack roses and bean crops are just two examples of how biotechnology is being used to make the most -- socially and economically -- of the biodiversity in South America's Andean region.

Nigeria's Fate in Biotechnology
07 July 2005 Daily Champion via allAfrica
The science of biotechnology is a must for any nation wishing to be self sufficient.

Crops Fail Across Southern Africa
07 July 2005 BBC
More than 10 million people need food aid after crop failure in six southern African countries, the United Nations food agency says.

Whisky Fans Can Drink to Crop Research
06 July 2005 BBSRC
Research into the genetics of barley could lead to improved varieties of the crop most commonly used in the production of whisky and beer.

Fighting Malnutrition in Africa with Sorghum
06 July 2005 University of Missouri-Columbia
Each day, hundreds of millions of people suffer with disease, blindness and other problems associated with malnutrition. Now, an international consortium is trying to improve the nutritional value of one of the staples of the African diet, sorghum, as one way to combat this problem.

International Grape Genomics Symposium
06 July 2005 Southwest Missouri State University
Specialists from around the globe will gather July 12-14 at the Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis for the world's first-ever International Grape Genomics Symposium.

UK Science Helps Farmers in Africa and India
06 July 2005 BBSRC
As the world's attention is focused on issues of aid and trade in developing countries, UK researchers have shown how science can improve the lives of farmers in Africa and Asia.

Gene Found Linked to High Rice Yields
06 July 2005 Nihon Keizai Shimbun via Checkbiotech.org
A group of Japanese scientists has discovered a gene that influences grain yields. By incorporating this gene into the koshihikari variety, the group succeeded in raising rice crop yields by more than 20%.

'Plants for the Future' Programme Sets a European Agenda for the Goals and Benefits of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology
05 July 2005 EuropaBio
This strategic research agenda to set the scene for European agricultural development for the next two decades.

Big Ears for British Wheat
05 July 2005 BBSRC
Scientists at the University of Nottingham are working with researchers in Mexico to develop new varieties of wheat.

Philrice Eyes New Vitamin A-Rich, Disease-Resistant Rice Variety
05 July 2005 Asia Pulse via YAHOO!
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is targeting to introduce before 2010 a new nutritionally-enhanced and disease-resistant rice variety.

US Scientist Develops Corn that Won't Cross with Biotech Crops
05 July 2005 Agence France Presse via Checkbiotech.org
The result is a newly patented type of corn dubbed PuraMaize, which Hoegemeyer said will allow biotech and non-biotech cornfields to grow side by side with little or no contamination.

How to Distinguish GM Crops from Space
05 July 2005 NOVIS via Checkbiotech.org
NASA satellite technology could soon be used to help food producers distinguish between GM (genetically modified) crops and non-GM crops, opening the door to greater acceptance of GM food.

Viewpoint: Biotech Crops: Safe, Sustainable
04 July 2005 Grand Forks Herald
Opinion piece by the Director of research at the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues.

Biotech Combats Pollution
04 July 2005 AP via The Pueblo Chieftain
Plants are some of the newest tools to clean the environment.

Scientist Uncovers Genetic History
03 July 2005 The Tribune-Review
Dannie Durand is an archaeologist, only she does her digging with a computer rather than a spade, and she excavates genes instead of ancient artifacts.

The Lowdown on GM Foods
03 July 2005 Health 24
At present there is probably no topic related to food production that engenders more divergent feelings among consumers than genetically modified (GM) foods.

Genetically Engineered Foods Are Not Potentially More Allergenic Than Their Counterparts
03 July 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
Risk of allergy from genetically engineered (GE) foods has been made a major biosafety issue, based on two, but now defunct cases.

New Hopes for Genetic Engineering in Europe
01 July 2005 Handelsblatt via CheckBiotech.org
The chance of a change in government in Berlin may allow the seeds and agrochemical businesses to breathe freely again.

Crop Biotech Research Part of Gates Foundation Initiative Goals
01 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
One of the Initiative’s goals is to grow more nutritious staple crops to combat malnutrition.

Agricultural Biotechnology: Background and Recent Issues
01 July 2005 The United States Department of State, Foreign Press Center
As adoption has spread, there have been policy debates over the costs and benefits of GE products

Germany to Fund Biosafety Research
01 July 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The German government will support research into the safety of GM plants with ten million euro over the next three years.

Column: Get the Facts about Biotech
01 July 2005 Western Farm Press
Literally thousands of scientists have looked at the technology and there is unanimity that the benefits far outweigh risks.

Using Biotechnology to Improve the Yield and Quality of Rice
01 July 2005 Agricultural Policy Analysis Center, University of Tennessee
This week’s column looks at the work that is being done in rice and consumer attitudes toward biotechnology.

Producing Vaccines from Genetically Modified Crops
30 June 2005 MedIndia
Vaccines against major diseases may be found in some GM Crops.

One in Six Countries Facing Food Shortage Under Climate Change
30 June 2005 The Guardian
One in six countries in the world face food shortages this year because of severe droughts that could become semi-permanent under climate change, UN scientists warned yesterday.

Purdue University Researchers Find Key to Rice Blast Fungus
30 June 2005 Purdue University
Efforts to halt a fungus that deprives about 60 million people a year of food have led Purdue University scientists to discover the molecular machinery that enables the pathogen to blast its way into rice plants.

A Corporate Group in Panic
30 June 2005 Die Weltwoche via Checkbiotech.org
More dangerous than genetically altered foods are the fears Greenpeace is spreading. A call for the cease-fire.

Heavy Rice Stands Tall
30 June 2005 Nature
Researchers from Japan and China have developed a new high-yielding rice variety through a combination of traditional plant breeding and modern biotechnology.

Potato Compounds Could Lower Blood Pressure Levels
30 June 2005 NOVIS
UK scientists have identified previously unknown compounds in the potato that are also found in a herbal used to lower blood pressure.

Rains Boost Indian Cotton Sowing, Transgenic Rules
30 June 2005 Reuters via CheckBiotech.org
A record cotton crop last year in Gujarat and Maharashtra has sustained farmer interest in GM seeds, according to this story.

Expert Urges Ghana to Harness Biotechnology
29 June 2005 Ghana Web
Ghana would fail to safeguard the health of the population, the environment and to generate wealth if biotechnology were not harnessed, Professor Eric Quaye, a bio-safety expert, said in Accra on Wednesday.

The UN's Silent Scandal
29 June 2005 National Post
For years, the agency has systematically promoted policies that block the use of safe, effective new technologies that could help solve some of the world's most pressing public health and environmental problems.

Kernals of Truth
29 June 2005 Tech Central Station
Policy makers have ignored a fundamental rule of regulation: that the degree of scrutiny of a product or activity should be commensurate with the risk.

Different Applications for Genetically Modified Crops: Prepared Remarks of Mr. Thomas H. Dollar
29 June 2005 U.S. House of Representatives
I come before you today to speak as a producer and to speak for my producer-customers about the benefits of growing genetically modified crops, namely cotton.

Different Applications for Genetically Modified Crops: Prepared Remarks of Mr. Delan Perry
29 June 2005 U.S. House of Representatives
Luckily for the Papaya Industry, visionary scientists had begun looking at new biotech ways of developing disease resistant plants.

Rock Stars' Activism Could Be Put to Better Use
28 June 2005 Junk Science via Toronto Free Press
Greenpeace also campaigns against the use of agricultural biotechnology, including "Golden Rice," which could help with the severe Vitamin A deficiency that afflicts hundreds of millions in Africa and Asia — including 500,000 children who lose their eyesight each year.

Focus Shifts to Drought-Tolerant, Health Providing GM Crops
28 June 2005 The Hindu Business Line
In the pipeline are soyabean that have low linolenic acid, corn that have high lysine content and essential amino acids and corns with high oil content.

Room for Conventional and Organic
28 June 2005 Delta Farm Press
There's plenty of room for both conventional and organic farming.

Economic Sabotage a Form of Free Speech?
28 June 2005 Rural News
A good example of the type of economic sabotage engaged in by environmental extremists in the UK during the past five years involves genetically modified (GM) food, feed and seed.

Scrap Ban on GM Crops, Truss Asks States
28 June 2005 AAP via Sydney Morning Herald
Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss was cited as saying that he believes state bans on the cultivation of genetically modified food crops are "unscientific" and has again called for them to be scrapped.

British Researchers Are Awarded £40m
28 June 2005 The Telegraph
The Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative will back a range of research, including the creation of GM crops that are more nutritious and can withstand harsh environments.

US Senate Passage of Energy Bill Boosts Chances for Biofuels and Greater Energy Security
28 June 2005 BIO
The U.S. Senate today voted 85-12 to pass comprehensive energy legislation that could dramatically expand production of ethanol.

MON 863 90 Day Rat Study
27 June 2005 Monsanto UK
Monsanto published on Friday the full MON 863 90 day rat study, prior to its expected publication as a peer-reviewed paper in the journal "Food and Chemical Toxicology".

Modern Food Biotechnology, Human Health and Development
27 June 2005 Monsanto UK
The WHO released a report about GM foods and its contribution to health and living standards.

Where Conventional, Organic, GM Farms Co-Exist
27 June 2005 The Hindu Business Line
How Mr. Petersen manages all the three forms of farming is that he has a buffer zone that separates the organic crops from conventional and GM ones.

Concerns over Genetically Modified Foods Must Be Cleared Up
27 June 2005 The Barbados Advocate
It is also evident that there is no greater risk to the consumer in eating rDNA derived foods, than there is from conventional foods.

India Should Opt for GM Crop Development to Boost Agri Growth
27 June 2005 Financial Express
India will stand to lose if it does not follow Brazil in encouraging development and cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Put Biotech Wheat on the Table
27 June 2005 Grand Forks Herald
Producers, consumers and environment benefit from technology.

Agri Firms Beef Up Investments in Biotech Ventures
27 June 2005 Financial Express
Biotechnology is now widening its base to vegetables and fruits.

Farmers Reject Biowatch Claims That Bt Cotton Has Impoverished Them
26 June 2005 Business Report (South Africa)
Claims in the survey by Biowatch are completely false and not scientifically proven by peers.

The Future on a Plate
25 June 2005 The Times
In the UK Robertson is looking at whether genetically modified foods could be used to direct people to a healthier diet.

EU Authorizes GMO Rapeseed by Legal Rubberstamp
24 June 2005 Reuters UK
The European Union has approved Monsanto's GT73 genetically modified (GM) rapeseed for import, making it the third GMO to win such approval.

EU GMO Labyrinth
24 June 2005 Reuters via Ellinghuysen
European Union rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a legal labyrinth.

Half the World's Cotton Grown from Genetically Modified Crops
24 June 2005 Bharat Texile
More than half the world's cotton may be grown from genetically modified crops within two years as farmers in India and Brazil embrace the technology that promises to raise incomes and boost output.

Biotech - Here to Stay
24 June 2005 AgWeb
Agricultural biotechnology is moving forward everywhere. There’s simply no turning back the clock.

UNC Plant Researchers Discover Proteins Interact to Form Hair-Trigger Protection Against Invaders
24 June 2005 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
The new discovery appears to be a universal mechanism for defense by all plants against not only bacteria and viruses, but also parasitic fungi, insects and worms.

Adopt Agri-Biotech, ECOWAS Urged
24 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Members of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) have been urged to adopt agricultural biotechnology to help increase productivity and fight hunger and poverty in the sub-region.

SARS Vaccine Being Developed in Plants
24 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) threatening to be a worldwide epidemic, scientists are constantly trying to find new ways to both cure people of and protect them from the disease.

Developing Country DBase Updated
24 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) database containing “Developing Country Biotechnology Profiles” has been updated.

Member States Refuse to Lift Illegal Bans on GM Products
24 June 2005 EuropaBio
Today the EU Environment Council failed to lift the bans by 5 Member States (1) on EU-approved GM products, despite conclusions by the EU’s own scientific authorities that these products are safe.

GM Crops Given the All-Clear
23 June 2005 The Evening Standard
Government scientists have given the go-ahead to genetically modified crops.

Fears on Genetically Modified Crops Dispelled
23 June 2005 IPP Media
Genetically modified (GM) crops are clean and in fact a sustainable solution to the problem of food insecurity for the world`s growing population.

A Better Understanding of Gene Flow
23 June 2005 Natural Environment Research Council
The researchers found that introducing traits by GM methods can have less impact on overall gene expression than conventional plant breeding.

China Issues 176 Safety Certificates for Genetically Modified Organisms
23 June 2005 People's Daily Online
China has issued 176 safety certificates for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), according to a national conference on GMO safety held here on Wednesday.

Clemson University and Queensland University of Technology Partner for Transgenic Plant Research
23 June 2005 SeedQuest
A second green revolution is under way as genetics turns plants into factories for food, medicine and industrial compounds.

Misuse of Science to Spread Suspicion and Fear of Biotechnology
23 June 2005 Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education
An effective means of removing fear from the public mind is to enhance the levels of awareness and knowledge. Conveniently twisted and inaccurate information is more dangerous than total ignorance.

GM Crops, Climate Change Hot Topics
22 June 2005 The Age (AU)
Australia could be placed at a competitive disadvantage if it did not adopt GM crops, which were already in use in the US, Canada, Argentina and Brazil.

Capacity Building in African Agriculture: The Role of U.S. Technology and Technical Assistance
22 June 2005 US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA is a major proponent of the science and technology dialogue between the U.S. and Africa.

Monsanto Company To Build $21 Million New Data Center
22 June 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company today announced that it plans to construct a new data center on the west side of its World Headquarters campus in Creve Coeur, Mo.

Genomic Sequences Processed in Minutes, Rather Than Weeks
21 June 2005 Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Breakthrough Could Lead to Solving Complex Problems Related to Human Biology, Biological Threats, Environment

Beachy: Costs Hinder Plant Research
21 June 2005 St. Louis Business Journal
Most of the institutions conducting research into plant agriculture are not-for-profit institutions, which cannot afford to commercialize the products in today's regulatory climate.

Magic vs. Modernity
21 June 2005 Butterflies and Wheels
Even those fears that are massively refuted never die, but seem to be in some Sargasso Sea of cyber space awaiting a new current to set them afloat again as part of the litany of horrors of genetic modification of plants.

GM Tobacco May Help Clean TNT, RDX Traces
21 June 2005 Web India 123
Latest research says genetically modified tobacco can help clean military sites polluted with traces of harmful chemicals like RDX and TNT.

G8 Must Help Africa Counter Impact of Climate Change - UK Royal Society Report
20 June 2005 Monsanto UK
This Royal Society report points out how Africa is consistently predicted to be among the worst hit areas across a range of future climate change scenarios.

Interview with Chris Leaver, Plant Sciences, Oxford University
20 June 2005 BBC Radio
Professor Leaver begins Farming Today's week of GM with a roundup of ISAAA statistics and crop benefits, including chemical use reduction.

New Alliance Takes Shape
20 June 2005 IRRI
Two of the world’s leading agricultural research institutes have announced more details of an exciting new Alliance to help improve the lives of the millions of poor farmers in the developing world growing the cereal crops rice, wheat and maize.

WANTFA Makes a Statement on Gene Technology
19 June 2005 Western Australian No-Till Farmers Association (WANTFA)
The Western Australian No-Till Farmers Association (WANTFA) recently moved a motion, at its annual general meeting, to embrace the idea of promoting genetically modified technology.

'Scaremongering' Lancet Accused of Causing Harm to Health and Wasting Millions
18 June 2005 The Times
Nobel prizewinners in the Royal Society attack on editor over publication of flawed research.

Harvesting New Chemicals From Grain Crops
17 June 2005 CSIRO
More plastics, paints and even nylons could be made from chemicals produced in plants.

New 'Wonder' Maize Coming
17 June 2005 The Nation via allAfrica
Kenyan scientists have announced what they describe as a major breakthrough in the search for pest-resistant maize variety.

K-State Part of Effort to Completely Sequence Common Wheat Genome
17 June 2005 Kansas State University
Kansas State University and the Kansas Wheat Commission are spearheading the effort to create the Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium.

Biotech Research Breakthroughs, Collaborations, and Economic Incentives to Be Announced at BIO 2005
17 June 2005 BIO
A number of state and international economic development agencies and private companies will make announcements to the press at a special venue during the BIO 2005 Annual International Convention.

Full Committee Hearing on "Benefits and Future Developments in Agriculture and Food Biotechnology"
16 June 2005 Meridian Institute via Checkbiotech
The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry held a hearing June 14 on "Benefits and Future Developments in Agriculture and Food Biotechnology."

Norfolk to Pioneer Green Fuel from Beet
16 June 2005 Eastern Daily Press
Britain's first refinery to produce "green" fuel from sugar beet will come on stream in Norfolk in less than two years and serve as a major boost for Britain's fledgling biofuels industry, which could create thousands of jobs and help the rural economy.

India Tries to Lure Biotech
15 June 2005 North County Times
Now that software development, call centers and other outsourcing ventures have boosted India's status in the world economy, Indian officials hope to pull off the same feat in biotechnology.

IITA, NABDA Demystify Biotechnology
15 June 2005 allAfrica.com via Checkbiotech.org
A one-day awareness workshop was held in Nigeria to enlighten people on the positive application of biotechnology tools for agricultural development.

The Gray Lady and Biotech Crops
15 June 2005 Reason
The editors at the New York Times evidently believe that genetically enhanced crops will help poor farmers in developing countries.

Chinese Minister of Sciences Visits Ghent Biotechnologists
15 June 2005 VIB, the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology
The encounter could also be an impulse for Flemish biotech to establish collaborative ties and to become acquainted with the Chinese market.

Biotech Products Rigorously Regulated, U.S. Official Says
15 June 2005 U.S. Department of State
Stresses importance of public confidence in government regulation.

Genetically Modified Maize
14 June 2005 Monsanto UK
The advisory committee on animal feedingstuffs examined a rat feeding study concerning MON863 and concluded that it did not indicate any adverse effects.

Monsanto's "Toxin"
14 June 2005 Monsanto UK
A wide range of safety data on GM maize MON863 was assessed by the European Food Safety Authority's genetically modified organism panel, which concluded that the maize would have no adverse effect on human health.

Parliament Opposes GM Crop Moratorium
14 June 2005 SwissInfo
Parliament has come out against a people’s initiative calling for a five-year moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops in Switzerland.

Saving Lives, an Acre at a Time
14 June 2005 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Borlaug has been credited with saving more lives than any other person of the 20th century.

GM Crops Changing Direction
14 June 2005 GRDC
Research into the next generation of GM grain technologies a shift away from production traits such as herbicide resistance to output traits such as human nutrition is on the increase in North America and Europe.

WA Farmers See GM Wheat as Solution to Salinity Problems
13 June 2005 ABC (AU)
Farmers in Western Australia who have invested in a trial of genetically modified wheat are touting the crop as the solution to their battle against salinity.

That Pot of Green Gold at the End of the Rainbow
12 June 2005 AgBioWorld
Genetic resources are valuable only if researchers are allowed to discover their pharmacological secrets and create affordable new drugs that address health problems better than alternatives.

New Outlook Good for Plants as Fuel
10 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Two recent studies in the journal Science report that plant-derived hydrocarbons may one day be used to fuel cars, replacing fossil fuels which cause air pollution.

Bt Cotton Achieves Record Growth
10 June 2005 Sify.com
Notwithstanding the controversy and widespread opposition it faced, Bt Cotton grew by 154 per cent in 2004-05 and was looking for a much faster growth in the coming years with more seed companies joining the bandwagon.

Plants Identified by DNA Profiling in Study
10 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Dr. W. John Kress and colleagues of the Smithsonian Institution demonstrate the Use of DNA Barcodes to Identify Flowering Plants, a study detailing techniques on plant DNA profiling using methods commonly applied to animal samples.

East African Farming Genetically Transformed
10 June 2005 Space Daily
Kenya has become the first African country other than South Africa to plant genetically modified maize in open fields.

A ‘Model’ Legume
10 June 2005 CSIRO
Developing aphid resistant legumes is getting closer by using Medicago, one of the ‘models’ of the plant world.

Indian Biotech Industry Crosses USD One BN in Revenues
10 June 2005 Press Trust of India
India's biotechnology industry has crossed the USD one billion mark in revenues.

Prometheus Was Not a Blacksmith
10 June 2005 AgBioWorld
A broad review of myths from around the world suggests that it is possible to answer a number of questions regarding the debate over agricultural biotechnology by adverting to mythology.

Vaccination by Needles and Syringes Soon Over?
09 June 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Now, plant-derived vaccines should offer a new strategy for the prevention of diarrheal diseases.

Digging in the Dirt for Life’s Biochemical Foundations
09 June 2005 Michigan State University
Now, new Michigan State University-supported research on the movement of nitrogen brings into sharper focus this underground process at the root of nearly all of Earth’s food chains.

Integration of Monsanto and Emergent Genetics Should Benefit Cotton Growers and Retailers
09 June 2005 Monsanto Co.
Cotton producers - and the agricultural retail network that supports them - should realize some significant benefits from the integration of Monsanto Company and Emergent Genetics currently underway.

Malaysia Welcomes France Investment In Biotech
09 June 2005 Bernama
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Thursday called on French scientists and investors to participate in the development of Malaysia's bio-technology sector.

Monsanto Gift Benefits Agriculture In The Classroom
09 June 2005 Monsanto Co.
At the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference, Monsanto, in cooperation with the National Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Consortium announced the inaugural winners of the Monsanto Outreach for Agriculture Awards.

How Cell Suicide Protects Plants from Infection
09 June 2005 Yale University
Researchers at Yale have identified a gene that regulates the major immune response in plants, programmed cell death (PCD), according to a recent report in the journal Cell.

Researchers Too Are Heroes, Great Heroes
09 June 2005 New Vision via allAfrica
Another break through is use of a biotechnology to develop genetically modified banana.

American Soybean Association Delegation Meets with French Industry on EU Labeling and Traceability Regulation
08 June 2005 USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
A delegation sponsored by the American Soybean Association (ASA), representing the U.S. soybean industry and including Congressional staffers, had meetings with French regulatory authorities and representative of the French food and feed industry on the implementation of the EU labeling and traceability (T&L) regulation.

New Bioenergy Bill Will Enhance National Security
08 June 2005 BIO
An aggressive effort to advance technology for conversion of agricultural biomass to ethanol fuel and biobased products is both needed and warranted to enhance U.S. national security interests

Breaking That Dirty Oil Habit
07 June 2005 Time Magazine
Gaffney and his cohorts have envisioned a clever solution: a hybrid car that combines gas-free plug-in technology with the boost of made-in-the-U.S., ethanol-based fuel to give it range.

Biotech Brouhaha, Rural Myths and Conspiracy Theories Abound
07 June 2005 Times Argus
So as the debate over crop biotechnology continues, remember, there are facts and then there are rural myths and conspiracy theories. It's important to know the difference.

Monsanto Raises Third-Quarter 2005 Ongoing Earnings Per Share Estimates
07 June 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company today announced that it is increasing estimates for the company’s third-quarter 2005 ongoing earnings per share (EPS) guidance on the strength of the performance from the company’s seeds and traits business.

Biotechnology: Effort to Develop Local Capacity Yielding Results
07 June 2005 This Day via allAfrica
It is also said that it is biotechnology that is used to genetically alter organisms to work more effectively and to even function in entirely new ways and this makes me realize the importance of this discipline in modern day Nigeria in particular and the world at large.

A View on the GM Farm Scale Evaluations
06 June 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
The aim was to evaluate the impact on weed and invertebrate wildlife of an agricultural technology that had yet to be introduced in the UK.

Association Genetics and its Implications for Agbiotech Research
06 June 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Genome sequence information for rice, corn, cotton, wheat, and other important agricultural commodities offers tremendous potential for research and commercial success in the plant biotechnology industry.

Genetically Modified Maize (MON 863)
06 June 2005 The United Kingdom Parliament
I confirm that before voting on the dates mentioned the Government had seen both the rat feeding study submitted by Monsanto to support its applications under EU regulations and the critique of the study submitted by the German authorities.

Plant Biologists Explore Biotech Crop Options
05 June 2005 St. Louis Post Dispatch
For the past three years, Washington University evolutionary plant biologist Barbara Schaal has used cutting-edge science to explore the genetic diversity of one of the world's oldest and most important food crops.

Written Answers on Monsanto MON863 Maize
05 June 2005 UK Parliament (House of Commons)
These data have been analysed independently by expert groups in the United Kingdom and at the European Food Safety Authority, who have concluded that the results of the study are not indicative of adverse effects due to the consumption of MON 863 maize.

Plants Replacing Machines
03 June 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Give us day by day our daily bread – this is the Christian prayer for basic food. For some it would be a Godsend to be able to incorporate the starch qualities from wheat into other plants so that they could also be used to produce starch.

Plants Use Dual Defense System to Fight Pathogens
03 June 2005 Ohio State University
Researchers have uncovered the link between two biochemical pathways that plants use to defend themselves against pathogens – pathways that scientists have long believed worked independently of each other.

Animal Found Harbouring Plant Gene
03 June 2005 New Scientist
The freshwater hydra, a simple animal related to jellyfish and coral, is found to carry the gene, the first ever found in an animal.

Green Diesel: New Process Makes Liquid Transportation Fuel from Plants
02 June 2005 University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering researchers have discovered a new way to make a diesel-like liquid fuel from carbohydrates commonly found in plants.

Plant DNA Library Leads to a Company
02 June 2005 Warwick University
Researchers at the University of Warwick's horticultural research arm Warwick HRI have created an extensive new range of libraries of plant DNA that will provide a massive boost to the world's plant researchers.

India Forms Science Ties with Canada, Israel, Vietnam
02 June 2005 SciDev.Net
India is building closer science ties with Canada, Israel and Vietnam in a range of fields spanning nanotechnology, alternative fuels, agriculture and animal husbandry, according to announcements made in May.

India Agrees on Biotech Priorities for Implementation
02 June 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The Indian Government has examined the report of the Task Force on Application of Biotechnology in Agriculture and has agreed on several priorities for implementation.

Bioenergy Touted to "Green" Cities and Aid Farmers
02 June 2005 Inter Press Service News Agency
Bioenergy can "help meet our surging demand for energy while curbing poverty and global warming especially in developing countries where vast rural populations with no access to electricity and rapidly-expanding mega cities vie for material resources."

Search for New Genes Can Help Revitalise Agriculture
01 June 2005 The Hindu
The search for, characterisation, isolation and utilisation of new genes through application of biotechnology are essential for revitalisation of agriculture.

Biotech: Salvation or Monster? Farmers Know the Answer…
01 June 2005 Delta Farm Press
In just 10 short years, the adoption of genetically engineered crops has become so endemic in U.S. agriculture that farmers who grow them could not imagine reverting to conventional production methods.

GM Cotton Trials to Start in SA
01 June 2005 News24
New varieties of super resistant and fast-growing genetically modified cotton will be tested in six South African towns.

Genetic Engineering Could Lead to Benign Insect
01 June 2005 The California Aggie
With the help of modern molecular techniques, scientists are tantalizingly close to attaining a long-labored goal — a genetically modified mosquito that it will not carry the malaria parasite and can reproduce in the wild.

Kenya Plants Transgenic Maize to Help Farmers Rid Insect
01 June 2005 CIMMYT
Kenya broke historic agricultural ground in a protected field on May 27 when it sowed its first transgenic maize seeds into local soil.

Biodiversity Depends on Biotechnology
01 June 2005 The Globe and Mail
It may not be intuitive, but it is a fact: agricultural technologies, including biotechnologies, are necessary for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity.

Biotech Crops Aid Humanity, Nature
31 May 2005 The Star Tribune
Biotech crops have been grown successfully by farmers for 10 years on nearly 1 billion acres around the world.

The Experimental Cultivation of Transgenic Corn is Being Extended
31 May 2005 Ostsee-Zeitung via Checkbiotech.org
One thousand hectares of experimental fields are registered this year throughout Germany. In the Northeast of Germany, there are about 210 hectares all together.

Will Potatoes Help Prevent Hepatitis E?
31 May 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Researchers in the U.S. and Japan are trying to develop an oral vaccine to prevent hepatitis E – with a little hard work, it may come in the form of a potato.

Sunflower Fields in South Texas Help Meet National Seed Demand
31 May 2005 AP via San Jose Mercury News
Sunflower seeds are being used in healthy alternative foods and have been genetically modified to produce a trans-fatty acid free oil.

Biotech Revolution Will Continue to Produce Big Changes
31 May 2005 Western Farm Press
The 1 billionth acre of genetically modified crop was planted this year, marking a remarkable decade of change since biotechnology was introduced into world agriculture.

Researchers Plant Trial Pest-Proof Maize Variety
28 May 2005 The East African Standard
Kenyan researchers have began a trial planting of maize genetically modified to resist insects.

Workshops Tackle Gender Dimensions of Biotech
28 May 2005 Crop Biotech
Agricultural production, traditional knowledge and health are among some potential applications of biotechnology with gender dimensions.

PM: We Must Accept Risks
27 May 2005 The Independent
Britain was in grave danger of "blowing our chance" to become a world leader in biotechnology, Tony Blair warned as he called for a national debate on everyday risks faced by the public.

Protecting Intellectual Property - May The Force Be With Us
27 May 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
The prices aren’t cheap, but those of us who choose to use them have decided they are worth it because biotech crops lead to reduced pesticide costs and higher yields.

Challenges for Rice Biotech
27 May 2005 Crop Biotech
The application of biotechnology in rice can help produce the estimated 700 million tons of rice required to feed an additional 650 million rice consumers by 2025.

China and IPGRI Launch Centre on Agro Biodiversity
27 May 2005 Crop Biotech
The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) launched the Centre of Excellence in Agrobiodiversity Research and Development (CEARD)

Bumper Aust Cotton Harvest Said to Validate GM Technology
26 May 2005 Australian Biotechnology News
The harvest of Australia's 2004/05 cotton crop, the first to involve full-scale production of new-generation, pest-resistant Bollgard 2 varieties, is nearing completion.

How Do Our Gardens Grow? Researchers Find a Clue.
26 May 2005 The Chicago Tribune
New information about the growth mechanism in plants could lead to increased crop yields and improved nutrition.

Ignore Scientific GM Advice at Your Peril
25 May 2005 The Buchan Observer
But there is overwhelming evidence from independent research stations and scientists all over the world confirming the potential benefits of GM.

Bugs in Termite Guts May Offer Future Fuel Source
25 May 2005 ABC News
Steven Chu looks down the road and sees an America that is free from foreign oil, powered by home-grown genetically engineered fuel that burns cleanly and is as available as the weeds that grow in your garden.

Developing World Media 'Lacks Critical Analysis of GM'
25 May 2005 SciDev.Net
A survey of the media coverage relating to genetically modified (GM) crops in five developing countries has shown that news stories often lack critical analysis of the issues at stake, and rarely represent the views of farmers.

20 Bt Cotton Strains Available to Farmers for Sowing This Year
25 May 2005 The Hindu Business Line
With GEAC giving its go-ahead for commercial release of two more strains, NCs-145 Bunny Bt and NCS-207 Mallika BT, last week, 20 Bt cotton varieties are available to the farmers for cultivation this year.

U.S. Senate Bill Would Double Ethanol Use in Gasoline to 8 Billion Gallons a Year
25 May 2005 AP via The Free New Mexican
A Senate Committee approved legislation to replace 5% of gasoline by volume with corn based ethanol starting in 2012.

Research Body Develops GM Rubber
25 May 2005 The Hindu Business Line
The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) has developed genetically modified rubber plants that have better drought resistance and increased environment stress tolerance.

Genetic Modification Seen as Future of Thai Rubber Industry
25 May 2005 MCOT
Genetically modified rubber trees could be the future of the Thai rubber industry, producing high quantities of latex, according to one of Thailand’s principle agricultural firms.

Research Reveals Broader Protective Powers for Amino Acid Proline
24 May 2005 University of Nebraska
Revving up an amino acid that plants already contain might protect them from a host of environmental stresses, such as heat, salt, drought or herbicides.

EFSA Further Clarifies Status of Risk Assessement Concerning MON 863 and Hybrid MON 863 X MON 810
24 May 2005 European Food Safety Authority
EFSA's Scientific Panel on genetically modified organisms (GMO) has evaluated MON 863 maize and considered that this maize is as safe as its conventional counterpart

Energy Security
24 May 2005 The Star (Malaysia)
The main driving force for developing biofuels is energy security, ecology and agriculture support for rural areas.

Biotechnology Proves to Be Way Forward
23 May 2005 New Straits Times
For Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his three-day official visit to the Netherlands which ended on Saturday has more than proven to him that biotechnology is the way forward for Malaysia.

Biotechnology Could Sustain Economy
23 May 2005 China Daily
Biotechnology-related industry is being hailed as a new engine to sustain China's economic miracle in the years to come, a high-profile research team has told the government.

GEAC Approves Two More Biotech Cotton Hybrids for Cultivation
23 May 2005 Financial Express
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) in its emergency meeting convened on last Friday approved two Bt cotton hybrids.

Monsanto: European Regulators Reviewed Results of Studies on MON 863 YieldGard Rootworm Corn
23 May 2005 Monsanto Co.
Feeding Studies Were Made Widely Available to European Regulators Prior to Favorable 2004 Opinion

Monsanto Response on MON 863 Maize 90-Day Rat Feeding Study
22 May 2005 Monsanto UK
Monsanto's information about its MON 863 maize, which was sent to the Independent on Sunday many weeks ago, is available here.

Rye Grass Research Reaps Allergy-Free Benefits
21 May 2005 ABC (AU)
Researchers have silenced the gene that produces the allergens in rye grass that cause hay fever.

Abdullah: Learn from the Dutch
21 May 2005 The Star (Malaysia)
Malaysia can learn from the Dutch experience in agriculture and biotechnology to produce top quality and high value food products.

EU Food Agency Says GMO Maize Type Safe to Grow
20 May 2005 Reuters UK
According to Reuters, Syngenta's Bt-11 maize was assessed today by the European Food Safety Authority which found it to be safe and without adverse effects on health or the environment.

Viet Nam-US Cooperation in Biotechnology
20 May 2005 Vietnam News Agency
A number of professors from three US universities are giving lectures and exchanging views the application of gene technology to create high-quality soybean varieties.

Plants Yield Key to 'Silencing' HIV Genes
19 May 2005 National Institutes of Health
For the first time, scientists have shown that humans use an immune defense process common in plants and invertebrates to battle a virus.

GMO Coffee in Laboratories But No Sell-By Date Yet
19 May 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
Researchers from Brazil, France and the US are working together to create coffee that is genetically modified to be caffeine free and resistant to drought, frost and disease.

Researchers Find Gene That May Be at Root of Potato Blight
19 May 2005 The Ohio State Univeristy - Research News
Researchers have found a gene they suspect plays an important role in triggering the blight that wiped out Ireland's potato crops a century-and-a-half ago.

Lack of GM Laws 'Criminal', Says Ugandan Ex-Minister
19 May 2005 SciDev.Net
A former Ugandan minister for agriculture who is now a senior official at the International Food Policy Research Institute used a colourful speech last month to state that failure to accept GM crops in Africa is both unjust and based on irrational fears.

Alarm Pheromone Causes Aphids to Sprout Wings
18 May 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Chemical communication within insect species is often much more sophisticated than expected.

Excerpts from the Speech by the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer at the CBI Annual Dinner
18 May 2005 HM Treasury
To make the most of British scientific and technological genius I propose we agree a shared agenda for long term investment in science and technology and new incentives for its application to industry.

Green Fuel for Council Vehicles
18 May 2005 BBC
As part of a program to reduce air pollution, Easington District Council´s vehicles will use an environmentally-friendly bio-plus diesel fuel.

If Wishes Were Horses, This Would Be the Kentucky Derby
17 May 2005 Tech Central Station
The UN's involvement in the excessive, unscientific regulation of biotechnology -- also known as gene-splicing, or genetic modification (GM) -- slows agricultural and pharmaceutical research and development and promotes environmental damage.

Sugars Are More Than Just Sweet
17 May 2005 CheckBiotech.org
By better understanding glycans, the biotechnological production of many pharmaceutical proteins and food supplements can be ameliorated.

Ten Years of Biotech Cropping Has Passed So Fast
17 May 2005 American Farm Bureau
The fact is that today, after reaching the milestone of 10 full years of proven biotech crop production, a majority of farmers in the United States would likely have to rethink, if not relearn, how to economically grow row crops without this valuable farming tool.

Plant Pest Resistance Boosted
17 May 2005 The Scientist
An international team of researchers has developed a new technique for increasing pest resistance in transgenic crop plants, they report this week in PNAS.

India: Farmers Still Prefer Bt Cotton Seeds
17 May 2005 The Deccan Herald via AgBioWorld
There is a huge demand for the Bt cotton seeds in the district and in some instances, the farmers are agitating and taking on to the streets demanding for the increased supply of Bt seeds.

IU Biologist Wins Award to Unlock Secrets of Plants
16 May 2005 The Indianapolis Star
Prize to let scientist continue work on gene swapping, travel to South Pacific island.

Scientists Identify Genes Responsible for 'Black Rot' Disease in Vegetables
16 May 2005 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Large-scale comparative and functional genomics study characterizes bacterial pathogen responsible for major vegetable crop losses worldwide.

Biotech Important for Ag Advancement
16 May 2005 The Grand Forks Herald
This year marked the 35th anniversary of Earth Day, and it should be noted how important biotechnology has been (and can be) for advancements in both agriculture and the environment.

Report: Biotech Corn in Africa Can Relieve Hunger
15 May 2005 The Des Moines Register
For years, the proponents of biotechnology have been telling us that genetically engineered crops could relieve hunger around the world.

Genetically Modified Plant Grows 'Fishy' Fatty Acids
14 May 2005 New Scientist
A Plant has been genetically engineered to make a "fishy" fatty acid.

The Brouhaha About Bt-Cotton in India!
14 May 2005 AgBioWorld
Come every March/April for the past three years, it has been open season for all sorts of vigilantes of Bt-cotton to report on its failure, mostly in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and also in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

DOE JGI Announces 2006 Community Sequencing Program Portfolio
13 May 2005 DOE Joint Genome Institute
Embedded in the language of DNA, the common link among all living things, are lessons for interpreting the complex systems that regulate the health of planet Earth.

Cotton Production Up Five Times in Four Years
13 May 2005 Business Standard
The reason behind the surge of productivity in cotton farming is believed to be the use of genetically modified seeds.

Gene 'Archeology' Gets Easier Using Carnegie Mellon University Software
12 May 2005 Carnegie Mellon University
Now, powerful new software makes gene "archeology" considerably easier, reports a team of investigators at Carnegie Mellon University.

Sorghum Trait for Weed Control
12 May 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Because of its potent allellopathic traits, sorghum is being eyed by scientists for a natural method of weed control.

NABC Meeting to be Held in June
12 May 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee will be hosting the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council’s 17th Annual Meeting.

Genetically Modified Plants to Grow Vaccines Against Killer Diseases
11 May 2005 Physician Law Weekly via Truth About Trade & Technology
Genetically modified (GM) plants are to be used to grow vaccines for use in the worldwide fight against HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes and rabies thanks to a grant of 12 million euros from the EU's Sixth Framework Program (FP6).

Bond, Peterson Receive IFT Congressional Science Award
11 May 2005 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
The Institute of Food Technologists’ 2005 Congressional Support for Science Award will be presented to U.S. Sen. Christopher (Kit) Bond, of Missouri, and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, of Minnesota.

Wheat Harvest to Enhance Food Security
11 May 2005 China Daily
As the nation grows increasingly alarmed by the international catchwords "food security," it has never ceased its efforts in grinding out super-yield crops to feed its growing population.

Bt Cotton Enthuses Punjab Farmers
11 May 2005 The Hindu Business Line via Checkbiotech.org
Enthused by better results from BT cotton, one-third of the cotton growers in Punjab are going for the genetically modified variety in the ongoing season, according to a top Government official.

Easy on the Eye
10 May 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Now, transgenic potatoes equipped with a bacterial gene of the biosynthetic pathway of carotenoids not only come in a very stylish orange hue, but offer a wide range of health benefits as well

Plant-Generated Pharmaceuticals Bring a Harvest of Hope
10 May 2005 Council for Biotechnology Information Canada
Producing pharmaceuticals from plants is a novel process that may give patients faster access to innovative, life-saving therapeutics.

GM Crops and Biodiversity: What's the Fuss All About?
10 May 2005 BioSpectrum
Anti-GM crop activists are of the strong belief that GM crops pose a threat to biodiversity but this is far from truth and is yet to be proven scientifically.

Dispelling the Myths: The Real Facts About Agricultural Biotechnology and Biotech Food
09 May 2005 American Soybean Association
The advent of ag biotechnology has been memorable for many reasons.

Dispelling the Myths: The Real Facts About Agricultural Biotechnology
09 May 2005 American Soybean Association
Since agricultural biotechnology (ag biotech) crops were first commercialized in the U.S. a decade ago, the acreage planted to ag biotech seeds has grown every year.

Defensive Eating
09 May 2005 Scientific American
It is going to be hard to justify blocking genetically modified plants if we can document we are reducing infant mortality.

One Billionth Acre of Biotech Crops Has Been Planted
09 May 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
The one billionth cumulative acre of biotech crops will be planted somewhere in the world today.

Inaccuracy - Not Bias - Is the Scourge of the Media
09 May 2005 SciDev.Net
The media is often criticised for focusing excessively on 'bad' news about GM crops (indeed about events in general). Such criticism ignores the fact that the main problem is not media bias, but inaccurate reporting.

S. Americans, Arabs will Extend Biotech Coop
08 May 2005 Iran Daily
Arab and South American countries are to put their heads together to improve crop cultivation in drought-ridden regions, a key point on the agenda at the May 10-11 Arab-South American presidential summit here, AFP reported.

Scientists Must Make Themselves Heard
07 May 2005 Australian Financial Review
The rapid take-up of this technology is due to its economic, environmental and health benefits, driven in part by the dramatically lowered requirement for chemical pesticides.

Change Surfer Radio - Feed the World
07 May 2005 The a-Infos Radio Project
Host Dr. James J. Hughes chats with Channapatna Prakash, a biotechnologist at Tuskegee University and founder of AgBioWorld, a science-based information service on agricultural biotechnology issues.

Six Cotton Hybrids Approved for Punjab
07 May 2005 The Hindu
The Union Government as well as the Punjab Government have conceded a long-pending demand of some cotton growers in the State by granting approval to six varieties of Bt. cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation.

ICRISAT Releases Virus-Resistant Pigonpea
06 May 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Pigeonpea is a major crop in India, and is an important protein supplement in the vegetarian diet.

'Potato Park' to Protect Native Knowledge on Potato
06 May 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The document intends to preserve Peruvian farmers’ local knowledge on cultivating more than 2,000 varieties of native potatoes.

Biotechnology: Several Developing Countries Now Have Well-Developed Programmes
06 May 2005 FAO
Research being conducted on GM crops and traits more relevant for food security

California Supervisors Support Biotechnology
06 May 2005 Western Farm Press
The board of supervisors in Kern County, Calif., the fourth largest agricultural county in the nation, has followed the lead of Fresno and Kings counties, passing a resolution supporting agricultural biotechnology.

Australia: A Healthy Regard for Tomorrow
06 May 2005 The Australian
During the next 20 years, biotechnology must become a fundamental contributor to Australia's productivity, both directly through increases in export income and indirectly through the maintenance of the population's health.

Sugarcane Biotechnology Improves Output
05 May 2005 Business World Philippines
The most reliable and cost-effective approach to planting sugarcane is the use of high-quality, disease-resistant varieties resulting in a yield increase of as much as 13%.

Transgenic Basmati Rice
05 May 2005 Information Systems for Biotechnology
Genetic engineering of crop plants has emerged as a powerful tool for creating and preserving genetic diversity, which can then be exploited through conventional methods of plant breeding.

Funds to Expand Maize Research Lead to Improvements
05 May 2005 Cornell University
A Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) researcher at Cornell University has received a grant to help assemble a unique database of DNA mutations in maize (corn).

Bill to Double Ethanol in Gasoline Passes Legislature
05 May 2005 AP via The Star Tribune
A bill to increase the ethanol content of gasoline to 20% is now awaiting the governor's approval.

Agriculture Ministry Likely to Take Over Bio-Diesel Mission
05 May 2005 Financial Express
The shift is being contemplated to give a boost to the project which can reduce India’s dependence on imported oil to as much as 20% in case of diesel.

Ethanol Grows as Gas Alternative
04 May 2005 Wired
The "it" is a processing plant that turns corn into ethanol, a fuel that is increasingly replacing gasoline today and may help to power the fuel-cell vehicles of tomorrow.

Scientists Find MicroRNAs Regulate Plant Development
04 May 2005 American Society of Plant Biologists
Major Aspects of Root and Shoot Development Controlled by the Plant Hormone Auxin are Linked to Regulation of Gene Expression by MicroRNAs.

GM Soybeans Stop Hair Loss
04 May 2005 Food Navigator
According to this story, researchers at Kyoto University claim that genetically modified soybeans can prevent hair loss and promote new growth.

From Toxin to Cancer Prevention
04 May 2005 CheckBiotech.org
A plant that cleans toxic substances from soils and turns the matter into nutraceutical—does it sound to good to be true?

India Renews Permission for GMO Cotton Plantings
04 May 2005 Reuters
India's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee has extended the commercial sale of genetically modified (GM) cotton for an additional two years.

Tobacco Plants Used to Produce Monoclonal Antibodies
04 May 2005 RxPG News
These results indicate that plant biotechnology can be a useful alternative to produce monoclonal antibodies. The antibody produced in tobacco is as good as the antibody produced in animal cells.

Biomass-to-Ethanol Technology Could Help Replace Half of U.S. Auto Fuel
04 May 2005 University of Florida
Half the automotive fuel in the United States could be replaced with ethanol from renewable agricultural crops and forest wastes.

Malaysia to Launch US$26 Million Biotech Fund
04 May 2005 SciDev.Net
The government of Malaysia is setting up a 100 million ringgit (US$26 million) fund to support biotechnology research and development.

African Scientists Call for Trained Science Journalists
04 May 2005 SciDev.Net
Africa is lacking in journalists able to understand and report science without distorting facts and misinforming the public, according to leading scientists from the continent, who have called for training to help close the gap.

Ivory-Tower Rhetoric Is Calorie Free
04 May 2005 The Steward
Real-world problems need real-world solutions, not calorie-free ivory-tower rhetoric.

Europeans Gradually Accepting More Biotechnology
03 May 2005 AgriNews
Though European consumers still aren’t ready to embrace genetically modified agricultural products, there is real movement toward acceptance.

A Gateway for Green Genetics in Africa
03 May 2005 Die Welt via CheckBiotech.org
South Africa belongs, along with the USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and China, to the six leading countries of the world regarding the commercial use of agricultural biotechnology.

Monsanto Obtains Agreement on Soybean Seeds Royalties
03 May 2005 El Cronista via CheckBiotech.org
Monsanto has reached a transitory agreement to receive the claimed royalties on the use of transgenic soybean seeds in South America.

Not So Golden Silence on GM Rice
03 May 2005 American Council on Science and Health
Those of us who are supportive of efforts to use science and technology to help the poor improve their lot in life (and the world's population to improve the conditions of life) need to find new ways to reach the media to get our side of the story reported.

Sowing Seeds of Agro Reform - Malaysia
02 May 2005 The Star (Malaysia)
In a special interview, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin outlines his strategies to take the nation's agriculture sector to a higher level.

Long-Standing Ohio Team Serves as Front Line for Corn, Soybean Viruses
02 May 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Besides identifying viral diseases and their insect carriers, the team helps breeders develop corn and soybean plants resistant to viruses.

Growing a Better Understanding of Biotech Crops
01 May 2005 The Des Moines Business Record
Somewhere in the world, likely early this week, a farmer will plant the billionth cumulative acre of genetically altered crops, also known as biotech crops.

Scientists Expect More from Plants
30 April 2005 The News-Gazette
A world population already near 6 billion is expected to be 9 billion by 2030 and, perhaps, 18 billion by the end of the century. Meanwhile, the annual rate at which agricultural yields are increasing has been declining steadily.

Malaysia's Biotech Potential
29 April 2005 The Star (Malaysia)
Excerpts from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's speech at the launch of BioMalaysia 2005

Biotechnology Risk Assessment: Bioethics and Gene Confinement
29 April 2005 LifeEdu
We are proud to announce a one-of-a-kind conference on the scientific advances, issues and bioethics of pharmaceutical production and gene confinement in genetically modified plants set for May 12-14 at Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Europeans Say Ignorant About GMO Foods, Crops-Poll
29 April 2005 Reuters UK
A survey of EU citizens shows that 40% feel underinformed about genetically modified (GM) crops and less than a quarter are concerned about the impact of GMO farming on the environment.

International GMO Seminar Slated for May – Jordan
29 April 2005 MenaFN via Checkbiotech.org
An international seminar focusing on issues related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in regional countries will convene in Amman on May 7.

Zuurbekom Farmer Gives GM Maize the Thumbs Up
29 April 2005 The Citizen
Sabina wants to spread the message further that Biotechnology has a big role to play to feed the country's millions.

Green Light for Transgenic Maize in Portugal
28 April 2005 CheckBiotech.org
Late last week, the Portuguese Newspaper, Diario de Noticias, reported the Portuguese government has approved transgenic maize.

GM Trial Gets Nod
28 April 2005 The Countryman
WA's first field trial of genetically modified, salt-tolerant wheat will be sown at Corrigin next month, following approval last week by the regulator.

Biofuels Could Kickstart Canada's Economy
28 April 2005 Council for Biotechnology Information
Food or fuel? Common crops are developing different values as society slowly replaces petrochemicals with plant-based oils.

Genetically Modified Rice in China Benefits Farmers' Health, Study Finds
28 April 2005 Rutgers
Farmers growing genetically modified rice in field trials in China report higher crop yields, reduced pesticide use and fewer pesticide-related health problems.

Monsanto Executive to Address Chemical Industry Spring Investor Conference
28 April 2005 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company's Executive Vice President Carl Casale will address chemical industry investors at 8 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 4, at the 2005 Basic Industries Conference sponsored by Banc of America Securities in New York.

Sharing The Gold
28 April 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Now there’s Golden Rice 2, an upgraded form of the crop that makes it possible for people to get half of the recommended levels of vitamin A from a single source.

Prize Winning Biotech Website by a 17-Year Old from Nigeria!
28 April 2005 Biotechnology: The Food Solution
Samuel Oloyede Odofin has been the wave all over the cities of Nigeria recently as he goes a step further in a skillful and scientific explanations of the concept of Biotechnology and how it can help boast food production across poor countries in the world.

Mardi to Provide 500 Scientists for Agriculture Biotechnology
28 April 2005 Bernama
The Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi) will initially provide 500 researchers and scientists for agricultural biotechnology research, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Thursday.

Commission Sends Proposals on GM Maize to Council
27 April 2005 European Commission
The European Commission has adopted a proposal to be sent to the Council of Ministers on the autorisation of the GM maize MON863.

Commission Sends Proposals on GMOs to Council
26 April 2005 EUROPA
The European Commission today adopted proposals to be sent to the Council of Ministers asking five Member states to lift their bans on certain authorised genetically modified organisms.

Early Adoption of GM Technology Would Bring Large Benefits for Poland
26 April 2005 PG Economics
Early adoption of GM technology in arable crops would bring clear farm level and environmental benefits for Poland according to a new report published today.

M'sia Eyes For More Wealth Through Biotech, Its New Growth Engine
26 April 2005 Bernama
Entitled BioMalaysia 2005, the conference will look at various initiatives as biotechnology has been identified as the new engine of growth for Malaysia.

Billion Ton Feedstock Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry
26 April 2005 DOE/USDA
Relief from soaring prices at the gas pump could come in the form of corncobs, cornstalks, switchgrass and other types of biomass, according to a joint feasibility study for the departments of Agriculture and Energy.

Scientists Discover How Plants Disarm the Toxic Effects of Excessive Sunlight
26 April 2005 University of Wisconsin-Madison
A newly discovered pathway by which cells protect themselves from a toxic byproduct of photosynthesis may hold important implications for bioenergy sources, human and plant disease, and agricultural yields.

Global Biotech Sector to See US$120b Revenue by 2009
26 April 2005 Business Times
The global biotechnology industry is expected to achieve significant profitability by 2009, benefiting industries in the Asia-Pacific region as well.

Retiring, but Never the Shy Type
25 April 2005 The Scotsman
Hysteria and emotion stoked by the media can suppress critical analysis and silence legitimate questions, said Hillman.

Agricultural Biotechnology: Overregulated and Underappreciated
25 April 2005 Issues in Science & Technology
The pursuit of an integrated action plan, including regulatory reform, will help the United States and the world reap enormous benefits that now are thwarted.

Conference Tackles Global Problem of Salinity
25 April 2005 Agricultural Research Service - USDA
The International Salinity Forum that begins here today has drawn more than 200 scientists from 20 countries to discuss concerns about accumulating salts that threaten millions of acres of irrigated land around the globe.

Garden-Variety Vaccines May Be Edible Alternative
25 April 2005 Los Angeles Times
Genetically altered potatoes boost immunity to hepatitis B in a study. Researchers hope treatment works on other diseases.

Biotech Tree Tests Rooted in Caution
24 April 2005 The Atlanta-Journal Constitution
Genetic modification can add helpful traits, but effects on a forest's web of life call for extra care.

ECB 12 Slated for August
22 April 2005 Crop Biotech Net
The 12th European Congress on Biotechnology will be held on August 21-24, 2005 at the Technical University of Denmark, north of Copenhagen.

Mardi Papaya Wins Gold Medal
22 April 2005 Crop Biotech Net
A research team at the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI) recently won a gold medal for their work on Papaya Ringspot Virus (PRSV) Resistant Papaya.

Doomsday Camp's Views Rely on Flawed Concepts
22 April 2005 The Atlanta-Journal Constitution
The thinking of environmental alarmists is guided by three flawed concepts.

EU May Allow First GMO Crop for Growing Since 1998
22 April 2005 Reuters
The European Commission is expected to vote in June on whether to allow a new type of genetically modified (GM) maize to be grown in Europe.

Farmers Tout Benefits of Using Biotech Crops
22 April 2005 Omaha Herald via CheckBiotech.org
As spring planting begins, few changes in Midlands corn and soybeans crops are obvious to the naked eye. Farmers will tell you, however, that in the past 10 years, biotechnology has changed everything.

Australian Researchers Looking for 'Tough Genes' to Overcome Drought and Salinity
22 April 2005 University of Adelaide via CheckBiotech.org
Adelaide has a major role to play in the development of salt-tolerant crops that could potentially feed millions of starving people worldwide.

One Billion and Counting...
21 April 2005 The Truth About Trade & Technology
Somewhere in the world this week or next a farmer will plant the 1 billionth acre of genetically enhanced crops.

Wisdom's Folly
21 April 2005 The Guardian
The difficulty comes in understanding what it means to defy nature.

To Honor the Earth, Speak to the Issues and Not the Myths
21 April 2005 American Council on Science and Health
And with Earth Day upon us, the Greens' romantic fantasies turn to the environment, as they promote nineteenth-century Romantic ideologies to deal with twenty-first-century problems.

Benefits of Biotech Crops
21 April 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
As production of biotech crops enters its tenth year and approaches one billion acres planted, the economic and environmental benefits continue to be documented.

Counting Up!
21 April 2005 Truth About Trade & Technology
Sometime during the early days of May 2005, a farmer somewhere in the world will plant the 1 billionth acre of genetically enhanced crops.

Some Activist Groups Exibit a "Pathological Scientific" Stance
20 April 2005 Genetic Engineering News
Pursued agenda is often not the protection of human health or the environment.

U.S. Consumers Unconcerned About Food from Biotech Crops
20 April 2005 Western Farm Press
U.S. consumers are relatively unconcerned about whether food they are eating comes from biotech crops.

Hope for Hungry Millions
20 April 2005 News 24
Scientists have unravelled the genome of the rice plant's greatest fungal menace, a harvest-wrecking foe that each year destroys the potential to feed 60 million people.

New Papaya Gene May Revive Industry
19 April 2005 New Straits Times
The papaya industry can be fully revived with the introduction of a new resistant gene to fight the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV).

Germany Calls for More Innovation
19 April 2005 CORDIS
German businesses must be more courageous when turning inventions into marketable products, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has said in a bid to increase German competitiveness.

Campaign to Educate Public About GMOs
19 April 2005 The Minot Daily News
A North Dakota Farm Bureau-commissioned survey about genetically modified organisms has revealed a couple of surprises that will drive an information and education campaign starting this summer.

Biotech Cotton May Push India Ahead of U.S. - USDA
18 April 2005 Reuters India
India is expected to surpass the United States to become the world's second largest cotton producer, due largely to its adoption of genetically modified (GM) cotton.

European Commission Announces the Continued Acceptance of 15 Monsanto Biotech Traits for Processed Feed Products
18 April 2005 Monsanto Co.
Announcement Should Bolster Grain Marketing Options for Farmers Using Monsanto Biotech Products

Cambridge Role in GM Crop Probe
17 April 2005 Cambridge Business Weekly
The National Institute of Agricultural Botany in Cambridge is playing a key role in a research programme that could lay the groundwork for mass GM farming across Europe.

MON 863 Maize 90-Day Rat Feeding Study Design and Conduct Fact Sheet
17 April 2005 Monsanto UK
The safety of MON 863 maize has been established in Europe by the German authority (RKI), the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA), the French food agency (AFSSA), and most recently by the French Commission du Génie Biomoléculaire (CGB).

Backgrounder on the Safety Assessment and Regulatory Status of MON 863 YieldGard® Rootworm Maize
17 April 2005 Monsanto UK
European competent authorities now concur that MON 863 YieldGard Rootworm maize is as safe as conventional maize for human and animal health and the environment

Britain May Pay Price for Botched GM Debate, Says Reith Lecturer
16 April 2005 The Daily Telegraph
Lord Broers, who will discuss risk and responsibility when he gives his final lecture next month, spoke out yesterday as experts warned that the country is falling far behind in plant science.

Fast-Tracking Development of Biotech Sector
15 April 2005 Business Times
The Government will soon implement a National Biotechnology Policy to fast-track development of Malaysia’s biotechnology industry.

Drought Resistant Maize Variety Sought
15 April 2005 East Africa Standard via allAfrica
Africa had failed to benefit from the green revolution, let us make sure that we reap the gains of biotechnology.

GM Crops - Parked, not Planted
15 April 2005 Open i
All the scientific and practical evidence suggests that the delays in the adoption of the technology is and will continue to cost the country dearly.

France Should Test GMOs, But Pause Needed - Report
15 April 2005 Reuters via Planet Ark
A parliamentary report concluded that GM products are "certainly not more dangerous than others" and that France should resume testing genetically modified crops after a progress assessment has been completed.

Monsanto Takes Action to Ensure U.S. Farmers Can Have Total Confidence in Availability and Marketability of Monsanto Corn Products
15 April 2005 Monsanto Co.
As farmers continue planting in the United States this spring, Monsanto Company initiated proactive steps to provide clear information to its U.S. farmer customers regarding Monsanto corn trait products and reinforced the company’s expectation that its products will remain fully available and marketable.

Brazil Likely To Import up to 2.0 Mln T GM Maize 2005
15 April 2005 Latin America News Digest
Brazil's government considers the possibility to import up to 2.0 million tonnes of genetically modified (GM) maize in 2005.

Don't Go Organic
15 April 2005 National Business Review NZ
As we move into election mode many lobby groups will insist Government should formally go 'Go Organic'.

East and Central Africa Urged to Adopt Modern Biotech
15 April 2005 Crop Biotech Net
Kenya's agriculture minister Kipruto Kirwa has called for rapid adoption of transgenic crops to help fight hunger and poverty in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region.

Global Responses to GM Food Technology: Implications for Australia
14 April 2005 Government of Australia
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have great potential for farmers and ultimately consumers in Australia and around the world.

GM Crops and Biodiversity: What's the Fuss All About
14 April 2005 BioSpectrum India
Anti-GM crop activists are of the strong belief that GM crops pose a threat to biodiversity but this is far from truth and is yet to be proven scientifically.

UC Study Shows Farmworkers Not Addressed by Organic Agriculture
14 April 2005 University of California
A University of California study shows that, except for reduced exposure to pesticides, the boom in organic agriculture has not resulted in better working conditions for farmworkers.

The Farm Scale Evaluation for GM Winter Oilseed Rape – a Reflection
13 April 2005 Agricultural Biotechnology Council
This paper attempts to unravel some of the aspects of the last set of results coming out of the UK Government’s Farm Scale Evaluation of GM field trials on winter oilseed rape and asks whether the hype surrounding them is (a) accurate, and (b) justified.

Biotechnology in Europe Poorly Financed Says Study
13 April 2005 EuropaBio
Today, Critical I present a comprehensive study comparing the biotech industry across some fifteen European nations and the USA at the World Life Sciences Forum BioVision, Lyon.