The Non-GMO Blog

Gene editing is not “precision breeding”, international scientists declare

International scientists and policy experts have presented a statement opposing the use of the term “precision breeding” to describe gene or genome editing. Led by Dr. Michael Antoniou, the statement is a response to the UK’s draft Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill, which would remove or weaken regulatory controls for gene-editing technology. “Precision breeding” is […]

Cornell study links sustainable practices to farm size in organic production

A study recently published in Nature Plants surveyed 542 organic fruit and vegetable farmers about the use of eight agroecological practices that promote sustainability. “We wanted to look at how the practices differ between small-scale organic farms… and those huge farms that supply organic produce to big box stores,” said Jeffrey Liebert, PhD, who studied […]

Gene edited purple tomato hyped in the media while non-GMO purple tomatoes have been available for many years

A new genetically modified tomato manufactured by Norfolk Plant Sciences is “unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to a conventional tomato,” USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported in its first Regulatory Status Review of a GM plant under the SECURE rule. The deep purple tomatoes may thus be legally […]

Organic dairy farming can store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, study finds

A new study in the August issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production revealed that farms can sequester carbon and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, as seen through a dairy lifecycle assessment conducted on Organic Valley farms. The University of Wisconsin research found that small organic dairy farms using pastured grazing and organic practices report […]

GMO awareness leads to increased demand for non-GMO products

Six years ago, the state of Vermont passed what turned out to be a short-lived law mandating disclosure of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, on all food products. That law’s effect? A collective shrug of the shoulders. That doesn’t mean people don’t care about whether GMO ingredients are in their food, according to new Cornell […]