British biotechnology company Oxitec is withdrawing its application to release billions of genetically engineered mosquitoes in California, according to a recent update from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The withdrawal is a victory for environmental and health campaigners concerned about the release of a novel mosquito that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had previously authorized under an “experimental use” permit. Read more.
Get Informed on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Tell the USDA they must Responsibly Regulate Genetically Modified (GM) Microorganisms
While IRT believes that the only responsible way forward is to prevent the release of any GM microbes into the environment, we demand that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must, at a minimum, assess the full range of GM microbes, wherever they are created and used, and implement regulations that match the enormous, and even existential risks associated with this technology. Read more.
CRISPR Sausage gets FDA Green Light for Consumption
The FDA has given Washington State University (WSU) researchers the green light to feed five gene-edited pigs to people. The approval could help build public trust in CRISPR’d foods and be the first step in a new food revolution. Read more.
Remembering Ronnie Cummins and the Organic Food Revolution
As co-founder and international director of the Organic Consumers Organization (OCA), Ronnie would promote organic food and regenerative farming as a healthier alternative to genetically engineered crops destroying food safety, and as co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, I would talk about vaccine safety issues and the need to secure informed consent protections in vaccine policies and laws. Read more.
GM Fruit Fly Protein for Dinner?
Throughout human history, insects have been part of the human diet in some cultures. Insects can provide protein, vitamins, and can be prepared like mammal meats. In some cultures this is tradition, in some scenarios this is survival. If you enjoy fried crickets or roasted ants, we are not judging you. However, what if the genes of an insect were tampered with in order to produce mammalian growth factors? Read more.
Global Patterns of Insect Resistance to Transgenic Bt Crops: The First 25 Years
Crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have improved pest management and reduced reliance on insecticide sprays. However, evolution of practical resistance by some pests has reduced the efficacy of Bt crops. Read more.
The Playbook for GMO 2.0 is Going Exactly to Plan, Brands Step in to Combat it
If you are eating “animal-free” dairy or meat products that taste nearly identical to a traditional animal product, you should be asking plenty of questions. And more often than not, what you will discover is that these foods are anything but “natural”. Aware of what consumers may find out and not wanting to make the same PR mistake twice, the GMO industry has intentionally introduced sophisticated and deceptive names such as synthetic biology, cultured meat, gene editing, precision fermentation and cellular-based seafood. Read more.
Glyphosate linked yet again to Cancer
You might have never heard of glyphosate before, but you probably have some in your garage or basement. It’s the active ingredient in herbicides and weed killers, and now scientists in the US have found that people exposed to it have biomarkers (a naturally occurring molecule or gene found in body fluids or tissues) linked to the development of cancer and other diseases. Read more.
Mexico Calls U.S. Bluff on Science of GMO Corn Restrictions
Mexican and United States trade officials are meeting this week in Mexico City in the first negotiations since the U.S. government filed a formal complaint March 6 against Mexico’s policies restricting the use of genetically modified (GM) corn and the herbicide glyphosate. Science is at the center of the agenda. Read more.
Aqua Bounty Pushes Back Completion of Construction of Land-based Ohio GM Salmon Farm to 2025
Land-based salmon farmer AquaBounty Technologies is delaying the timeline for the completion of construction at its 10,000-metric tons genetically modified (GM) salmon farm in Pioneer, Ohio back to 2025. The site was expected to be up and running by late 2023, with salmon ready for market in 2025. Read more.
