tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123864669100805262012-01-28T09:47:09.751-06:00by Margaret C. Boardman, Ph.D.Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-21496768060274501582011-05-12T14:32:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.627-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.627-05:00

 Coffee Bushes Photo Courtesy of NewsAfrica.com  On 10 May 2011, SciDev.Net reported that new, traditionally hybridized coffee varieties resistant to a devasting coffee fungus were being delayed from commercialization due to funding issues.  New coffee hybrids were created three years to resist the fungal coffee wilt disease (CWD).  They have yet to be released commercially primarily

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-84049966581313965132011-05-12T14:09:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.433-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.433-05:00

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture program.  Photo courtesy of Local Harvest On 9 May 2011, ScienceDaily reported on a study by Michelle Kaiser, a researcher at the University of Missouri that concluded that regularly availability of local, fresh and healthy food is the key to food security. Kaiser's food security research, published in the Journal of Community Practice states that helping

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-10284301195744650742011-05-12T12:01:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.773-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.773-05:00

On 28 April 2011, Business Day in South Africa reported that Monsanto had opened a seed factory for gene-engineered (GE) seeds that may be the largest processing factory for GE maize seed in Africa to date.  The new factory is located in Lichtenburg in the North West region of South Africa. According to the article, the plant is preparing for the future export of GE seeds to the rest of Africa

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-66858812282900874592011-05-12T10:58:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.489-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.489-05:00

 Rice fields courtesy of edie209 via flickr  On 2 May 2011 New York University issued a press release to publicize the findings of researchers from its Center for Genomics and Systems Biology.  Scientists from this unit teamed with colleagues at the Washington University in St. Louis (Department of Biology), Stanford University (Department of Genetic) and Purdue University (Department of

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-80764258024692297762011-05-12T10:37:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.365-05:002011-05-13T15:26:52.365-05:00

On 28 April 2011 SciDev.Net editor, David Dickson published an editorial that summarizes key issues in the ongoing global debate regarding the biosafety and gene-engineered food.  It is posted below in its entirety. (MCB editor's note: I have emphasized key conclusions in red.)  "The GM debate is about more than biosafety Poor farmers must have a say in decisions about GM technology

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-73991121669827389832011-04-26T12:13:00.005-05:002011-05-02T14:09:25.978-05:002011-05-02T14:09:25.978-05:00

On 26 April 2011, ABC Rural (Australia) reported on the progress made by scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to develop a gene-engineered chickpea that will be resistant to the heliothis moth.  According to ICRISAT principal scientist, Dr. Pauran Gaur who is based in India, it has been very difficult to hybridize chickpeas that repel the

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-25908280533381398482011-04-25T14:14:00.009-05:002011-05-02T14:36:42.364-05:002011-05-02T14:36:42.364-05:00

On 25 April 2011 Brownfield Agricultural News for America reported on the recent "Studying Co-Existence, Choice and Sustainability" conference sponsored by the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The conference's goal was to discuss and examine how different agricultural technologies are addressing and meeting the

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-46972179698035353312011-04-22T11:43:00.021-05:002011-05-02T11:52:48.564-05:002011-05-02T11:52:48.564-05:00

On 22 April 2011, Brownfield Agricultural News for America reported on the release of the Organic Industry Survey by Organic Trade Association.  The report concluded that organic food sales grew 7.7 percent in 2010 to $28.6 billion. Most of this growth was related to organic fruits and vegetables.  This category accounted for $10.6 billion in 2010, an increase of 11.8% from 2009.  This sector "

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-68108334710603077412011-04-21T12:33:00.007-05:002011-05-02T14:07:27.541-05:002011-05-02T14:07:27.541-05:00

On 21 April 2011, Capital Press reported that biotech critics are concerned that biotech corporations will access and "exploit" the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV). Known as the "Doomsday" seedbank, SGSV was built on an Arctic island in Norway in 2008.  Its mission is to stockpile seeds so that they can be used in cases of natural disasters and manmade cataclysms.  Outreach has been made to "

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-12537116688961335862011-04-18T11:53:00.005-05:002011-05-02T12:10:52.270-05:002011-05-02T12:10:52.270-05:00

On 18 April 2011 Food and Beverage News reported that the Indian seed company, Mahyco does not currently have plans to export its gene-engineered (GE) seeds to Bangladesh or the Philippines.  However, it will be providing technology assistance to scientists working on GE projects in these two countries. This statement was made in response to various reports in the Indian media that the company

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-44922556813973205942011-03-14T15:35:00.001-05:002011-03-14T15:53:02.670-05:002011-03-14T15:53:02.670-05:00

On 14 March 2011, the Wall Street Journal published an article on how investors can make money on agriculture and the ongoing spike in world food prices in the developing world.  Central to the article is the concept that the current spike in food prices is only a "short-term manifestation of a long-term trend: That of high and rising agricultural commodity prices." Investors are starting to "

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-6650787396089878482011-03-09T11:58:00.055-06:002011-04-26T15:53:37.016-05:002011-04-26T15:53:37.016-05:00

"Today the aquaculture industry -- both inland and sea-based fish farms -- is the world's fastest growing food industry." On 9 March 2011 ScienceDaily reported that Denmark is planning to expand its "sustainable and green" aquaculture to include saltwater fish.  Since 2005, leading Danish fish farmers such as DTU Aqua have been using "sustainable, green" water  recirculation technologies that

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-67317140218065968322011-03-09T11:51:00.046-06:002011-04-26T15:35:26.215-05:002011-04-26T15:35:26.215-05:00

CYSDV Courtesy of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture & Life Sciences On 9 March 2011, ScienceDaily reported on the progress made by USDA scientists to fight the cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV).  This virus attacks melons such as cantaloupes and honeydews.  It has been particularly financially devasting to farmers in California's Imperial Valley, Yuma, Arizona and

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-63628260465682819052011-03-04T12:12:00.043-06:002011-04-26T15:16:00.600-05:002011-04-26T15:16:00.600-05:00

On 4 March 2011, ScienceDaily reported that plant scientists at the University of California, Riverside had discovered that flood-tolerant rice also has increased tolerance to drought.  Flood-tolerant rice (also known as submergent rice or "scuba" rice) was developed through genetic modification of the Sub1A gene.  This gene was originally found only in low-yielding rice varieties in India and

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-14033067472711987102011-03-01T17:47:00.009-06:002011-04-26T15:02:43.159-05:002011-04-26T15:02:43.159-05:00

The Farmers Guardian reported on 1 March 2011 that the University of East Anglia (UEA) would offer a new course on the role of gene-engineered crops in addressing global food security.  The course offering is part of the Masters in Science in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at the University of East Anglia.  Course leader Professor John Turner will take a pro-GE position on the

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-90769522152147884352011-03-01T12:14:00.036-06:002011-04-26T15:02:11.596-05:002011-04-26T15:02:11.596-05:00

On 28 February 2011, scientists from Arizona State University, Stanford University and Carnegie Institution for Science published an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that analyzed the impact of converting large areas of land in the midwestern U.S. to bioenergy crops.  The U.S. has legally mandated increases in renewable fuels.  To date this has mainly

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-91074366670291207872011-02-28T19:30:00.008-06:002011-03-02T19:48:42.554-06:002011-03-02T19:48:42.554-06:00

On 28 February 2011, the Guelph Mercury reported that the University of Guelph would head up a $11 million dollar genome mapping project that will sequence dry beans.   Research will be include collaboration between the University of Guelph's agriculture department, Canandian academic researchers at the universities of Windsor and London, Ontario and the provincial Ministry of Research and

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-51581880592210966682011-02-23T17:59:00.003-06:002011-03-01T18:12:52.706-06:002011-03-01T18:12:52.706-06:00

On 23 February 2011 Reuters published the annual statistics compiled by ISAAA on gene-engineered (GE) crops around the world.  The latest statistics compiled for 2009 are: * Over the previous year, the planting of GE crops around the world increased 10%. * About 10 % of total global cropland is being planted to GE crops.  Approximately 48% of this acreage is in the developing world. * Brazil

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-42151704967236134642011-02-17T13:27:00.000-06:002011-03-03T13:28:45.817-06:002011-03-03T13:28:45.817-06:00

On 17 February 2011 Bloomberg News followed up on recent reports that China's wheat was going to fail noting that in fact, might recover.  Chinese officials are prepared to start forced irrigation from Shandong's "relatively sufficient water reserves." This follows a spike in global wheat prices that surpasses the highest levels set in 2008.  The article quotes media interviews by Shanghai JC

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-9307652160855211332011-02-12T11:52:00.005-06:002011-03-03T12:01:54.517-06:002011-03-03T12:01:54.517-06:00

On 12 February 2011, Browfield Ag News for America reported that U.S. exports to China had reached a "all time high in 2010" making China, the number one destination for U.S. agricultural exports.  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack noted that "“China became our number one market, surpassing Canada ... Ag exports to China were over $17.5 billion in the calendar year; that’s up from

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-68459621386567491882011-02-09T12:57:00.005-06:002011-03-03T13:11:18.366-06:002011-03-03T13:11:18.366-06:00

On 9 February 2011 both Brownfield Ag News for America and the Wall Street Journal reported that China was preparing for failure of its wheat harvest due to prevalent drought conditions.  The Chinese State Council had created a ten point plant that included $180 million to develop new wheat and corn fields, and $1 million in drought relief.  The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture reported that "

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-41812515761425972282011-02-03T12:01:00.001-06:002011-03-03T12:16:20.850-06:002011-03-03T12:16:20.850-06:00

On 3 February 2011, Brownfield Ag News of America reported that the United Nations global "Food Price Index" had risen to 230.7, its highest point ever since recordings began in 1990.  The increase in January 2011 was the seventh straight monthly increase in sucession.  During the last food crisis of June 2008, the index stood at 224.1   This article reports that some of the recent unrest in

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-77372402495497345892011-01-31T17:01:00.021-06:002011-04-13T14:26:23.044-05:002011-04-13T14:26:23.044-05:00

On 31 January 2011, BASF announced that it would grow gene-engineered (GE) potatoes in Sweden and in Üplingen (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany).  The potatoes will be the Amflora GE potatoes approved by the EU.  In Germany, cultivation will only be on 2 hectares of land.  BASF will be working on producing seed stock for cultivation in the future. Amflora GE potatoes produce pure amylopectin starch,

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-59592133901435805912011-01-25T17:28:00.000-06:002011-03-01T18:12:17.948-06:002011-03-01T18:12:17.948-06:00

On 25 January 2011 the Wall Street Journal reported on the efforts of emerging nations to address rising food costs.  The efforts are made as commodity futures have spiked due to rising fuel costs and climate disruptions such as the Australian flood. Efforts are being made in order to avoid an increase food costs and economic disruptions such as the ones experienced in 2008.  The list of

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712386466910080526.post-87695449354534543312010-12-30T13:36:00.015-06:002011-01-11T14:05:48.251-06:002011-01-11T14:05:48.251-06:00

On 30 December 2010, U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack issued an open letter to all stakeholders interested in gene-engineered (GE) crop matters.  In the letter he called for adoption of a new attitude towards GE crops based on a policy of co-existence.  Vilsack noted that the rising demand for food is causing a clash between those supporting conventional, GE, and organic agricultural

Dr. Margaret C. Boardmannoreply@blogger.com