We don’t have unlimited time to improve production in a world with a growing population and facing climate change. Farmers must speak up: The time has come to give technology a chance.
NGTs give us a chance to hit the reset button—and embrace a technology that can make agriculture more climate conscious, more sustainable, and more fruitful.
InnerPlant is developing early-stress signaling capabilities in soybeans and corn. The concept is getting serious buy-in from big players in U.S. agriculture.
We suffer from food insecurity. It shouldn’t be this way. We should be a global breadbasket, not a hopeless continent now known for losing its youthful population dying in the Mediterranean trying to migrate to Europe.
InnerSoy is genetically engineered to omit signals when stressed, which are detectable from as far away as space. The company says its products can show stress signals two weeks before current detection methods.
The company sees potential in focusing on animal feed and pet food via several non-GMO, Ultra-High Protein low oligosaccharide (“UHP-LO”) commercial soybean varieties.
“Mexico’s decree, which runs counter to scientific findings and is in direct violation of USMCA, is negatively impacting American corn growers,” said Tom Haag, NCGA president.
In Mexico, corn is much more than a food crop—it's a key part of the country's heritage, culture and traditions. Mexico argues glyphosate and GMOs are dangerous to human health, and seeks alternative practices.
During a bilateral meeting on Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed with Mexico's Secretary of Economy Tatiana Clouthier various issues concerning energy and biotech corn.
Representatives from the U.S., Mexico and Canada will meet in Cancun, Mexico this week to discuss a series of disputes, including Mexican energy and biotech policies and Canadian dairy barriers.
Mexico reached an agreement with food manufacturers to use only non-GMO corn in tortilla production across the country. The government says it plans to implement new import tariffs on white corn imports.
“We fundamentally disagree with the position Mexico has taken on the issue of biotechnology, which has been proven to be safe for decades,” said Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary.
According to researchers at Ohio State University, most U.S. states will experience a “limited effect” of the dispute in the short term. But the long-term could significantly impact states such as Illinois.
By requesting consultations, the U.S. Trade Representative began a process to come to a settlement on ag biotechnology imports to Mexico. If a settlement is not reached, the issue will move to a full-blown trade dispute.
The U.S. appears to be pursuing a case via USMCA on the matter: “That is going to happen, because we're essentially in a circumstance where this is not a situation that lends itself to a compromise,” Vilsack said.
Mexico on Monday announced a new decree, effectively banning imports of GMO corn. Following the declaration, Mexico quickly softened it's stance after facing backlash from the Biden administration.
Mexico's new decree will indicate that if U.S. GMO corn passes the sanitary filters of the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris), it will have no problem entering Mexico.
“With 90% of corn acreage in the U.S. being planted to biotech seeds and Mexico being the number one purchaser of U.S. corn, I'm concerned this decree is not being met with urgency it deserves,” said Sen. Grassley.
While Mexico wants to reduce its imports of corn by 30% to 40% by 2024, Mexico's Deputy Ag Minister Victor Suarez told reporters that it cannot replace its imports of U.S. corn for livestock feed.
This blog describes advances in agricultural biotechnology in recent decades, and how gene editing techniques can be used to help farmers adjust to climate change.
The global experience of GMOs—on my farm in New Jersey as well as in distant places like Australia, India, Kenya, and elsewhere—teaches us that they are a promising solution to many problems.
Today in Italy and most of Europe, we can’t take advantage of GMOs and other crop-protection products because law makers paid more attention to the alarmism of ideological activists than the advice of scientists.
The crop technology ban is a dangerous decision not founded in science—and it is not necessary. Mexico would mandate this economic and nutritional misery upon itself.