Biodiversity
FDA will support sale of genetically engineered fish for human consumption, source says; environmental groups, some in Congress, oppose farming and sale of such fish
By Jim Kozubek
Talking Points Memo 2011-10-10
Monitored goat grazing, low-cost and environmentally friendly, becoming a more common practice in restoration and conservation efforts
By Nicole Santa Cruz
Los Angeles Times 2011-03-05
After years of resistance, European Union policy-makers to vote on allowing traces of genetically modified material in animal feed imports; move would be victory for GM lobby
By Caroline Henshaw
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2011-02-21
As humans eat remaining tuna, grouper and cod, their prey - sardines, anchovies - flourish, creating ecological imbalance that experts say will forever change the oceans
By Marc Kaufman
The Washington Post 2011-02-20
Opinion: Possibility of taint from genetically modified alfalfa is low; farmers often cut hay before it flowers, and even if a cow producing organic milk ate GM alfalfa, impact would be benign
By James E. McWilliams
The Atlantic 2011-02-16
Opinion: With Monsanto's Roundup Ready Alfalfa, new kind of pollution is forced on us; it now affects majority of food produced in U.S., without our consent. We've said "No," but is anybody listening?
By Barbara Damrosch
The Washington Post 2011-02-16
Opinion: Lawsuits against biotech alfalfa, sugar beets seek to award organic farmers a civil right not to have their high-end, ad-created market segment disturbed by industrial progress
By Holman W. Jenkins Jr.
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2011-02-02
Defying court ban, USDA to allow commercial planting of Roundup Ready biotech beets days after OK of Monsanto alfalfa; critics cite herbicide resistant weeds, tainting of other crops
By Carey Gillam and Chuck Abbott
Reuters 2011-02-04
After biotech, farm groups object, USDA changes course, OKs GMO alfalfa, pulling back from proposal that would have restricted its growth to protect conventional plants from cross-pollination
By Andrew Pollack
The New York Times 2011-01-27
Farm groups, biotechnology industry skeptical of USDA head's "co-existence" proposal to allow Monsanto's biotech alfalfa near conventional plants; biotech sugar beet case in court
By Charles Abbott
Reuters 2011-01-10
Without arsenal of synthetic pesticides, herbicides available, organic farmers learn ways of bats, mint and larvae to harness natural systems as part of integrated pest management
By Jim Robbins
The New York Times 2010-11-29
USDA mulls OK for biotech alfalfa that would allow crop to be grown with rules aimed at protecting non-GMO crops; alfalfa is pollinated by honeybees, which makes it tough to isolate
By Carey Gillam
Reuters 2010-12-16
British beekeepers' group ends controversial practice of taking cash for endorsing leading chemical manufacturers whose products killed bees
By Alison Benjamin
The Guardian (UK) 2010-11-16
Opinion: Process surrounding AquaBounty GE salmon illustrates FDA's perverted process; study flaws include small sample size, non-random samples, setting detection limits too high
By Tom Laskawy
Grist 2010-09-14
Group sues USDA, challenging agency's recent decision to allow planting of Monsanto's genetically altered sugar beet seeds after court ruling banned farmers from planting them
By P.J. Huffstutter
Los Angeles Times 2010-09-09
Washington wheat growers, fearful that Japan won't buy Monsanto's GM wheat, may start new petition drive seeking labeling of any GM foods sold in US
By Dan Wheat
Capital Press 2010-08-26
Opinion: Biotech salmon is just starter protein in GM food revolution, but before using Frankenfish label, note that there are few aspects of food industry that remain "natural"
By Robin McKie
The Guardian (UK) 2010-08-27
FDA to begin what could be 18-month approval process for genetically modified salmon - first engineered animal destined for consumption by humans
By Barb Kiser
Nature.com 2010-08-26
After judge bans planting of Monsanto's genetically modified sugar beets, which supply half of nation's sugar, growers fret over availability of conventional seed varieties
By Michael J. Crumb
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2010-08-20
Russia launches probe after Twitter campaign notes potential destruction of Pavlovsk, world's oldest seed bank; scientists starved rather than eat seeds during siege of Leningrad
By John Vidal
The Guardian (UK) 2010-08-16
Impact of humans literally consuming Earth's finite resources of food, fuel, fiber, clean air, fresh water finally being noticed, UN reports in call for global action
By Juliette Jowit
The Guardian (UK) 2010-05-21
Scientists gather information on microbes that infuse us, linking some to obesity, others to reduced incidence of autoimmune disease in children who live on farms
By Carl Zimmer
The New York Times 2010-07-13
Methane-rich Hudson Canyon, off coast of New York, swarms with tuna, swordfish, monkfish, tilefish, red crabs - and now scientists
By William J. Broad
The New York Times 2010-07-12
Fears over dwindling fish stocks, risk of pollutants from oily fish push BASF, Monsanto exploration of omega-3s in rapeseed, soybeans, other sources
By Stephen Daniells
nutraingredients.com/Decision News Media 2008-12-19
Santa Monica sushi restaurant, facing federal charges for serving endangered whale meat, closes for good as part of apology
By Tony Barboza
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-20
Judge denies request to ban planting of Monsanto's GM sugar beets, but says ruling isn't indicative of views on a permanent injunction
By Kelsey Volkmann
St. Louis Business Journal 2010-03-16
After advocates switch from animal welfare to invasive species argument, California decides to ban importing of non-native turtles, frogs for food
By Carla Hall
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-04
Fearing cross pollination, organic farmers file suit to halt planting, sugar production of genetically modified sugar beets
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2010-03-01
Debate over genetically modified food, long settled in U.S. with GM corn, soybeans, begins in India with halt of Monsanto's GM eggplant
By Erika Kinetz
The Associated Press; Los Angeles Times 2010-02-15
Destructive feral hogs, which are prolific breeders and ravenous foragers, now found in 44 states
By Isaac Wolf and Jason Bartz
Scripps-Howard News Service; The Oakland Press (MI) 2010-01-10
India to rule on allowing eggplant as first GM food; broad coalition, citing biodiversity, health, consolidation concerns, mobilizes against Monsanto
By Jason Burke
The Guardian (UK) 2010-02-08
As Asian carp breach Great Lakes, expense of eliminating invasive species is weighed against mounting liability - now $120 billion annually - of leaving them be
By Juliet Eilperin
The Washington Post 2010-01-31
Grouper protection during spawning season rankles S.C. fishermen; chefs turn to imports from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama
By Monique Newton
The State (Columbia, S.C.) 2010-01-26
Mirroring gardeners everywhere, Brooklyn Botanic Garden uses winter to prep new culinary garden
By Anne Marie Chaker
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-01-20
Cool ocean waters, more river flow yield record salmon in Oregon
By Joel Millman
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-01-21
Supreme Court's upcoming rule on ban of Monsanto's Roundup alfalfa could affect ruling on GM sugar beets - and half of U.S. sugar crop
By Jeffrey Tomich
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 2010-01-16
Justice Department opens antitrust inquiry on Monsanto
By Scott Kilman and Thomas Catan
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-01-15
Conservation groups, citing extinction danger, ask U.S. to regulate shipping of bumblebees
By Adrian Higgins
The Washington Post 2010-01-13
For many, Illinois' carp crisis the culinary opportunity of a lifetime
By Joel Hood
Chicago Tribune 2010-01-10
Films: Bluefin tuna, extinction and "The End of the Line'
By Nathan Lee
The New York Times 2009-06-19
Bluefin tuna fetches $175,000 at Tokyo auction as conservationists call for species protection
By Roland Buerk
BBC News 2010-01-05
Opinion: Asian carp threat cause for concern, not panic
The editors
Chicago Tribune 2010-01-05
Opinion: Menhaden, crucial in ocean food chain, enters final losing phase for survival
By Paul Greenberg
The New York Times 2009-12-15
Giant jellyfish capsize fishing trawler off Japanese coast
Crew of Japanese fishing trawler rescued after being thrown into sea while attempting to retrieve net containing huge Nomura's jellyfish. In 2005, jellyfish invasion damaged nets, rendered fish inedible with toxic stings and injured fishermen. Experts say contributing factor to jellyfish proliferation in Japanese waters may be decline in number of predators - sea turtles, certain species of fish. And: Jellyfish presence signals declining health of the world's oceans, scientists say (click 'See also').
By Julian Ryall
The Telegraph (UK) 2009-11-02
Opinion: Time for hard look at behavior of dominant seed businesses
Agriculture is at frontier of technological progress; its innovations will largely determine whether and at what cost world will feed its growing population. No company should dominate such an essential business. Good place to probe potentially anticompetitive behavior is Monsanto, which is trying to block DuPont from adding its own genetic traits to Monsanto's Roundup Ready technology to produce soybeans that would be resistant to multiple pesticides. Monsanto genes, which resist Roundup weedkiller, present in 97 percent of soybean crops, 79 percent of corn.
The editors
The New York Times 2009-10-22
Weed extract shows promise against diet-related disease
Kudzu, long used as health food in China, Japan, shows promise in fight against metabolic syndrome. After two months of taking root extract, rats in study had lower cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and insulin levels than control group. Invasive vine covers 10 million acres in South. And: Study shows kudzu's ability to cut alcohol consumption (click 'See also').
Science Daily 2009-08-27
Former bank building houses new currency - heirloom seeds
Baker Creek Heirloom seed company creates bricks-and-mortar seed bank, fills arched windows of former bank with produce. Store is evidence of effort to preserve, bring back fruit, vegetable and flower varieties pushed to extinction in era of commercial seed production. Others seedsaver groups: Kitazawa in Oakland (Asian herbs and vegetables), J.L. Hudson of La Honda, Redwood City Seed Co. (peppers), plus Seeds of Change in New Mexico, Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa (click 'See also').
By Carol Ness
San Francisco Chronicle 2009-09-06
Non-biotech labeling effort garners major players
Founder of Eden Foods leads campaign to test products and label those with no more than 0.9 percent of biotech ingredients (click 'See also'). Non-GMO Project includes Whole Foods Market, other major players. This year, 85 percent of corn, 85 percent of canola, 91 percent of soybean acreage have genetic modifications; majority of processed foods contain ingredients derived from these crops, including oils, corn syrup, corn starch, soy lecithin. Newest GMO crop is Monsanto sugar beets; with this year's crop, close to half of nation's sugar will come from GMO plants. Wheat is next.
By William Neuman
The New York Times 2009-08-28
Monsanto plans price hike for GMO corn, soybean seed
Monsanto plans to increase cost of genetically modified corn, soybean seed as much as 42 percent, effectively splitting expected profits of increased yields. New biotech SmartStax corn seed expected to be planted on up to 4 million acres in 2010, with national potential for 65 million acres; Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean seeds were planted on 1.5 million acres this year, with potential of 55 million acres, Monsanto said. And: After residents' opposition, Boulder county postpones decision on whether to allow farmers to grow Monsanto GMO beets on county open space; GMO corn has been permitted since 2003 (click 'See also').
By Jack Kaskey
Bloomberg.com 2009-09-13
Two pesticide suits against banana grower dismissed
Judge dismisses two lawsuits against Dole after its lawyers said that poor people in Nicaragua were recruited to file complaints. At least 16,000 Latin American workers have sued over 20 years seeking damages from chemical companies that made the pesticide dibromochloropropane, or DBCP, and growers that used it. More than 40 related cases with thousands of plaintiffs pending in L.A.
By Edvard Pettersson
Bloomberg 2009-04-24
Human activity speeds changes in plants, animals
Hunting, commercial fishing and some conservation rules, like minimum size limits on fish, accelerating rates of evolutionary change in species, researchers find. Human predation is opposite to what occurs in nature, agriculture - with newly born or nearly dead the target of predators in wild, and farmers, breeders retaining most robust, fertile adults to breed.
By Cornelia Dean
The New York Times 2009-01-12
Italy's fishing methods threaten bluefin tuna, group says
Italy ignoring bluefin tuna rules and further endangering species, conservation group charges. Countries agree to quotas, but Italy reports a fleet of 185 vessels and surveyors count 283. Spotter aircraft, banned by accord, also used, group says. Official says Italy is following the rules.
By Ariel David
The Associated Press; The Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA) 2008-10-07
Opinion: Apple's birthplace, rebirth crucial to food security
On border of Kazakhstan and China, conservationist has spent 70 years in 'fatherland' and forest of apples, cataloging as hedge against memories of famine. As solution to urbanization and loss, he proposes pairing restoration and commerce. Author (click 'See also'): Foragers and traditional farmers are food's safe-keepers. North America lost more than 15,000 apple varieties in 400 years.
By Gary Paul Nabhan
Orion Magazine 2008-05-01
Stinging reminder of overfishing, pollution, takes over beaches
Jellyfish unwelcome residents at beaches worldwide after severe overfishing removes their predators (tuna, sharks, swordfish) and food competitors, and pollution saps oxygen needed for other predators to thrive in coastal shallows. Their presence signals declining health of the world's oceans, scientists say. And: Jellyfish could take place of fish with chips (click 'See also').
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
The New York Times 2008-08-03
Seeking heirloom grapes in Italy's abandoned vineyards
After population's mid-century exodus to urban Italy, grape vines tended for centuries were left to run wild. Now, vineyard sleuth in Alpine valley works to save grape varietals from extinction, to bring them back to cultivation and, finally to turn them into wine.
By Aaron Maines
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2008-07-04
Great Lakes fish shift
Commercial and sport fishing will likely be affected as fish population undergoes quick changes in Lake Huron. Blame could be placed on exotic invasive species, including zebra mussel, quagga mussel, round gobies and the spiny water flea. Ecosystem evolution will be studied this year by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
By Jeff Kart
The Bay City Times 2008-03-05
Disaster plan
Refrigeration units begin cooling Norway's doomsday seed vault on remote Arctic archipelago to optimum storage temperature, ensuring long viability for about 4.5 million of the world's agricultural seeds. The foil packets are "final backup" of future food and crop diversity.
By Doug Mellgren
The Associated Press 2007-11-15
Biotech future
Despite strong community opposition, European Union OKs imports of genetically modified corn and sugar beet for human and animal food; varieties were developed by subsidiary of DuPont, a unit of Dow Chemical, Monsanto and a German plant breeding company, KWS SAAT and taps into the $6 billion biotech crop market.
Bloomberg News; Reuters; International Herald Tribune 2007-10-24
Opinion: Label it
Bill requiring labels for cloned meats and milk is a small step in the right direction; FDA's movement toward no-label approval based on part, from biotech company data, is a slippery slope toward other questionable biotech products including human genes.
By Osagie K. Obasogie and Pete Shanks
San Francisco Chronicle 2007-10-05
Corn conundrum
Praying to the god of corn has its price: nitrogen waste in the waterways, taxpayer money feeding the industry, low-nutrition meat from animals that eat it, but it provides a fertile field of medical research, and in Mexico, growing corn is the only way one farmer ensures his wife's tortillas have the authentic taste.
By Hugh Dellios
Chicago Tribune 2007-09-09
Chemical connection:
Monsanto and Dow agree to stack designer-modified bug-killing, herbicide-resisting genes in corn seed, with eye on maximum yields; with 93 million acres dedicated to crop in U.S., critics worry about unintended deaths of insects beneficial to ecosystem and soil.
By Ana Campoy
Wall Street Journal 0000-00-00
Dead zone:
Ethanol craze looms dangerously large for fish and crabs in Chesapeake, since larger acreage planted in nitrogen-needy corn means more fertilizer runoff into water, which spawns growth of oxygen-depriving algae, study reports.
The Associated Press; Business Week 2007-08-27
Too late?
Though banned for sale in March, Monsanto's GMO alfalfa seed was already widely planted in Michigan; public interest group sues, citing concerns for human and animal health as well as possible contamination of conventional alfalfa plants through pollination by bees.
By Jeff Kart
The Bay City Times 2007-08-24
Star power:
Like prima donnas, heirloom tomatoes wait an extra week to ripen, but these voluptuous misfits with the tawdry, nightclub-act names - Cherokee Purple, Banana Legs, Green Zebra, Hillbilly, Black Russian - have it in their power to hold us all in thrall for a good part of the summer.
By Tim Stark
Washington Post 2007-08-15
Eating summer:
Seeking the perfect tomato means eschewing perfectly formed orbs in favor of a weedy tangle of vines in which antique, thin-skinned heirloom treasures are hidden; this obsession is an art in the Merrimack Valley, where growers proliferate.
By Kristi Ceccarossi and Darry Madden
The Hippo (NH) 2007-08-23
Grain base
Amber waves of wheat, once vital to Vermont's economy (and even part of the state seal), may return to the state fields, as bakers and locavores seek nearby sources and crops specialist uses USDA grant to grow three heirloom varieties - Surprise, Champlain and Defiance.
By Mel Huff
The Times Argus (VT) 2007-08-13
Off the land:
Despite day jobs, couple hunt, fish and gather about a third of the food they eat, using a nearly comprehensive mental map of Seattle foraging spots to relish what they call unbelievably bountiful land.
By Huan Hsu
Seattle Weekly 2007-08-08
Sticky situation:
Bane and benefit both, blackberries cover the Oregon landscape with a thorny thicket but are high in antioxidants, show promise in tumor reduction, are a high cash crop, a primary food source for honeybees and other pollinators - and they're tasty as well.
By Joe Mosley
The Register-Guard (OR) 2007-08-11
Deer problem:
Program that last year brought 35,000 pounds of hunter-donated venison to low-income clients of southern Wisconsin food pantry endangered by budget cuts; testing the deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) reduced by 60 percent; experts predict explosion in deer population.
By Christina Beam
Reedsburg Times Press (WI) 0000-00-00
Review: No time
Judging from plastic bottles clogging the landfills and SUVs clogging the highways, the news that we're killing ourselves and our world hasn't kicked in, so that makes "The 11th Hour," an unnerving, surprisingly affecting documentary, essential viewing.
By Manohla Dargis
The New York Times 2007-08-17
Starving whales:
Emaciated grey whales seen off the coast of Baja California may show a crucial break in ocean's food chain; algae mats, home to shrimp-like creatures that whales, walrus and sea ducks feed on, have disappeared as ice melts.
By Leonard Doyle
The Independent (UK)
Fish in decline:
Overfishing, poaching and pollution have depleted worldwide fish stocks to 10 percent of normal; for every pound of shrimp harvested, 10 pounds are discarded, along with turtles and dolphins, conservationists report.
By Eviana Hartman
Washington Post
Opinion: A fish tale
It's a stretch to blame the precipitous worldwide decline of marlin, swordfish, tuna and sharks on Hemingway, even figuring spawning rates over four generations, but quest for sportsman-trophy fish photos like his have targeted the at-risk bluefin tuna.
By Paul Greenberg
The New York times (may require subscription)
Reviews:
"The Zen of Fish," and "The Sushi Economy," offer lessons in how global economy works, dangers of over-fishing and how it thrives on demand, and why trout might not be the best choice for eating raw (think tapeworms).
By Stuart Biggs
bloomberg.com 2007-08-08
Birds of prey:
In old days, no Kazakh man was a true man if he did not have a horse, a hunting dog and an eagle, but tradition is dying and poachers have endangered the saker falcon; conservation plan in Central Asia involves both birds.
By Natalya Antelava
BBC News 2007-08-06