Report shows more biotech progress – news for week of May 8

News items related to ag tech, biotech, trade ? and perhaps some other interesting items out there related to agriculture ? will be posted on this page throughout the week (as the week progresses newest items will be in?green at bottom of sections). ?Be sure to come back and check the page during the week.

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Last week the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) released “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2016” its annual report for the prior year. ?Amonst other noteworth items, it shows a “110-fold increase in adoption rate of biotech crops globally in just 21 years of commercialization ? growing from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 185.1 million hectares in 2016.”

Impressive.

That’s just one of many points the report includes. ?Take a look and see for yourself. ?All the report details are available at the ISAAA website (http://www.isaaa.org/), including the Executive Summary, Press Release, Infographics, and more. ?They also have this fantastic short highlight video available:

TRADE, TRADE RELATED, INFRASTRUCTURE:

NAFTA could get renegotiated within 6 months, new ag secretary says – Des Moines Register – By Donnelle Eller (May 5)

Perdue told farmers the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada has?been good for farmers “but maybe not as much for manufacturing.” – Link

Mexico could emerge as a surprise winner if NAFTA retooling works out – CNBC – By Javier E. David and Dawn Kissi (May 7)

“The Mexican economy has its problems, but it has arguably been the best-performing Latin American economy in recent years…” – Link

China beckoning Canada and Mexico as unknowns swirl around Trump White House – MetroNews (Canada) – By Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press (May 7)

“Mexico’s minister of tourism, visiting Ottawa, says Mexico is trying to diversify by looking to Canada, Latin America, Europe and China for trade.” – Link

OMG! TTIP, JEFTA, CEPA are DOA – Politico, Europe Edition – By Hans von der Burchard (May 6)

“Brussels wants to avoid ?toxic? names that make trade deals unpalatable.” – Link

AG, AG TECH, PRODUCTION, PROTECTION, RELATED ISSUES:

Scientists say ag is good for honeybees – Feedstuffs (May 3)

“Research finds positive correlation between bee health and presence of agricultural production.” – Link

Global GMO crop area up 3 percent in 2016 after prior-year dip: study – Reuters (May 4) – Link

?Globally, acreage under GM crops at a new high of 185.1 m hectares? – The Hindu BusinessLine (India) (May 5)

“ISAAA report claims biotech crops have ensured financial stability for 65 m” – Link

Reinventing Rice for a World Transformed by Climate Change – MIT Technology Review – By James Temple (May 4)

“UC Davis plant geneticist Pamela Ronald wants to create rice varieties that can survive in harsher conditions, including more frequent droughts… The danger is that unfounded fears could come at the expense of easing real human suffering, if misguided regulations slow down the science, or protests prevent seeds and crops from reaching the farmers and consumers who need them most.” – Link

POLICY, REGULATORY, ACTIVISM, OTHER:

Has the ability of farmers to ‘tell their story’ promoted good agricultural policy? – Western Farm Press – By Todd Fitchette (May 1)

“Social media has given farmers the opportunity to ‘tell their story.’ How has this helped establish sound agricultural policy to ensure the sustainability of the farm economy?” – Link

ChemChina clinches $43 bln takeover of Syngenta – CNBC/Reuters (May 5)

“ChemChina has won more than enough support from Syngenta shareholders…” – Link

Liver Cancer on Rise, Aflatoxin Contributes, Says Groopman – NIH Record (National Insitutes of Health) – By Rich McMaus (May 5)

“There are few other chemical carcinogens as closely tied to causing cancer as aflatoxin, a product of mold, usually in corn, that is ubiquitous on planet Earth.” – Link

**See related piece regarding aflatoxin: ?New GMO to Reduce Cases of Liver Cancer?

Trolls and shills: How disinformation sites InfoWars, Natural News and US Right to Know manufacture fake news -?Genetic Literacy Project – By?Stephan Neidenbach?(May 8) – Link

Stop throwing dirt at GMOs ? Former Deputy Agric Minister – JoyOnline (Ghana) – By Joseph Opoku-Gakpo (May 7)

?It is a science for the present and the future and Ghana cannot afford to miss the boat?We want Ghana to become a great country and the only way it can happen is through science and technology…” – Link