News
2013-08-05 | permalink
Kickstarter bans project from giving away GM organisms
Kickstarter is clamping down on genetically-modified organisms following the success of a project to genetically engineer glowing plants for use as additional lighting in people's homes. Earlier this week and without explanation, the crowdfunding website quietly altered its guidelines for project creators, introducing a new term that bans creators from giving away genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) as rewards to their online backers. "Projects cannot offer genetically modified organisms as a reward," the new language states. The prohibition is effective July 31st, meaning that the popular glow-in-the-dark plant project is safe, but that any future projects like it can't offer GMOs to their backers.
The Verge: Kickstarter bans project from giving away GM organisms2013-08-02 | permalink
Ghana first crops to undergo GMO confined field trials
Ghana’s Biosafety Bill was given Presidential assent to become law, after it has been in Parliament for four years.
2013-08-02 | permalink
Genetically modified organisms: To eat or not to eat?
Rarely is the relationship between science and everyone so direct as it is in the case of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), in particular foods. It is one thing to turn on your plasma TV or talk on your iPhone; it is an entirely different proposition to knowingly ingest something that has been modified in the lab.
2013-07-31 | permalink
Canada: GMO facts at a glance
GMOs in Canada have been allowed since the mid 1990s. Canada is one of the top-five producers of GMO crops in the world. The major GM crops produced in Canada include canola, corn, soy, and to a lesser extent, sugar beet. Canada also imports GM varieties of cottonseed oil, papaya, and squash, among others.
2013-07-31 | permalink
Monsanto focuses on EU GM imports, backs off on crops
Agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto will scrap all pending approval requests to grow new types of genetically modified (GM) crops in the European Union in the coming months, company officials confirmed on 17 July. The company will now focus its efforts on securing EU approval to import genetically modified products, which are widely grown and marketed in the United States and South America.
