News items related to ag biotech, trade ? and perhaps some other interesting items out there related to agriculture ? will be posted on this page throughout the week (newly added items will be in green at bottom of sections). ?Be sure to check in regularly!
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Bayer Makes $62 Billion Bid for Monsanto – Nasdaq / Dow Jones Business News (May 23)
“German pharmaceutical and chemicals giant Bayer AG on Monday said it made an all-cash offer to acquire Monsanto Co. for $62 billion, valuing the U.S. company at a substantial premium in a deal that would create the world’s largest agrochemicals company.”
Link:?http://www.nasdaq.com/article/bayer-makes-62-billion-bid-for-monsanto–5th-update-20160523-00739
Seedy business -?It?s eat or be eaten for the firms that make seeds and chemicals for farmers – The Economist (May 21)
Why the Trans-Pacific Partnership Will Be Obama?s Greatest Foreign Policy Achievement – TIME – By Ian Bremmer (May 23)
“Bremmer argues the TPP could help set the rules of global trade in a way that will help Americans over the long term.”
Link:?http://time.com/4342247/trans-pacific-partnership-obama-asia-trip/
Cash for questions -?Can freer trade soften Vietnam?s thuggish ways? – The Economist (May 21)
A lot of people want to restrict free trade. But that would have serious trade-offs. – Washington Post, Monkey Cage blog – By Allison Carnegie (May 23)
More than ever, the world needs genetically modified crops – The Globe and Mail (Canada) – By Doug Saunders (May 21)
“Small-hold farmers in the developing world are increasingly savvy, well-connected and modern.”
Editorial: Some answers ? and more questions ? about GMOs – Chicago Tribune (May 20)
“[W]e don’t see how a basic “GMO” label will help consumers make truly informed purchases.”
Why biotech crops are here to stay – GMA (Philippines) – By Regina Layug-Rosero (May 20)
Link:?http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/567061/scitech/science/why-biotech-crops-are-here-to-stay
EPA shifting from science to ‘public perception’ model on pesticides? – Delta Farm Press – By Forrest Laws (May 19)
Making Hens Cage-Free? You?ll Shell Out for Eggs – Wall Street Journal – By Jayson Lusk (May 18)
“Massachusetts wants to ban so-called battery cages, but shoppers may resist paying for chicken amenities.”
Link:?http://www.wsj.com/articles/making-hens-cage-free-youll-shell-out-for-eggs-1463611041
GMOs: A Sweet Debate – DTN, Progressive Farmer – By Chris Clayton (May 23)
“Sugarbeets a Focus in Fight Over GMO Food Ingredient Labels”
Link:?https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2016/05/23/sugarbeets-focus-fight-gmo-food
Production of Coke halted in Venezuela for lack of sugar – Reuters (May 24)
“Venezuela is in the midst of a deep recession, and spontaneous demonstrations and looting have become more common amid worsening food shortages, frequent power cuts and the world’s highest inflation.”
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-coca-cola-venezuela-idUSKCN0YE2Q6
How Monsanto’s CEO Thinks We Can Feed the World – Fortune – By Beth Kowitt (May 17)
Link:?http://fortune.com/2016/05/17/monsanto-ceo-feeding-planet/
Farmers must lead GM debate – The Scottish Farmer – By Gordon Davidson (May 22)
Link:?http://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/farmers-must-lead-gm-debate.28837149 (registration required)
Royal Society calls for review of European GM ban – BBC News – By Pallab Ghosh (May 24)
“Prof Venki Ramakrishnan said the science of genetic modification had been misunderstood by the public and it was time to set the record straight.”
Link:?http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36359682
The Observer view on the GM crops debate – The Observer (UK) – Editorial (May 21)
“Europe can no longer turn its back on the benefits of genetically modified crops”
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/22/observer-view-on-genetically-modified-gm-crops
In wake of National Academies? GMO report, is public skepticism of biotech waning? – Genetic Literacy Project – By David Zaruck (May 24)
Brazil’s new top diplomat shifts focus from ideology to trade – Reuters – By Anthony Boadle (May 23)
“Jose Serra’s first foreign visit to Argentina on Monday focused on restoring South America’s Mercosur customs union to its purpose as a free trade area, after Venezuela’s entry in 2012 turned it into a left-leaning political forum.”
Link:?http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-politics-diplomacy-idUSKCN0YE0DN
Canada approves fishmeal and fish oil feed ingredients from biotech salmon?- Feed Navigator -?By Aerin Curtis (May 24)
The AquAdvantage salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies has been approved for use as a feed ingredient in Canada.
Cotton season may have forced delay in GM royalty cap – Business Standard (India) – by?Rajesh Bhayani & Sanjeeb Mukherjee?(May 24)
“The government on March 18 had issued a notification capping royalties of GM cotton seed technology companies at 10% for the first five years”
Public Perception of Farmers Still Highly Favorable – AgWeb.com – By Ben Potter (May 24)
Link:?http://www.agweb.com/article/public-perception-of-farmers-still-highly-favorable-naa-ben-potter/
‘GMO’ Labeling: Good Intentions And Ignorance Can Yield Bad Outcomes – Forbes.com – By Henry I. Miller (May 25)
Time to end the fight over GMO labeling – The Hill, Congress Blog – By Elliot Entis (May 24)
Link:?http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/280928-time-to-end-the-fight-over-gmo-labeling
Kenya urged to speed up the commercialisation of GM foods – Daily Nation (Kenya) – By James Kariuki (May 25)
Link:?http://www.nation.co.ke/news/commercialise-of-GM-foods/-/1056/3217804/-/wjj7k9z/-/index.html
Notable & Quotable: ?How the EU Starves Africa? – Wall Street Journal
?The adoption of restrictive policies across Africa has been pursued under the pretext of protecting the environment and human health.?
Link:?http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-how-the-eu-starves-africa-1464131490
Make farming a rewarding career for Africa’s youth -?SciDevNet – By?Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo (May 25)
Link:?http://www.scidev.net/global/farming/opinion/african-agriculture-achieve-its-potential-1.html
Japan, EU to commit to concluding trade deal as soon as possible – The Japan Times / Kyodo (May 24)
Why Do Some Continue to Deny the Evidence That GMOs Are Safe? – Huffington Post – By David Ropeik (May 23)
Link:?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ropeik/why-do-some-continue-to-d_b_10010492.html
Japan, US reaffirm G-7 role in driving global economy – Nikkei Asian Review (May 26)
Malawi’s seed sector calls on govt to adopt GM crops – Crop Biotech Update, ISAAA (May 25)
Link:?http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=14444
From hardy pigs to super-crops, gene editing poses new EU dilemma – Reuters – By Ben Hirschler (May 26)
“If Europe?does that [classifies gene-editing as GMO], I think they will probably send themselves into the stone age of agricultural biotechnology…”
Link:?http://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-gene-editing-farming-idUSKCN0YH1FS