The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Farmers Business Network and Environmental Defense Fund launch farmer line of credit to incentivize regenerative agriculture

Farmers Business Network (FBN) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have initiated the FBN Regenerative Agriculture Finance Fund (RAFF)—a unique U.S. financing program rewarding farmers who meet soil health and nitrogen efficiency standards through access to lower rates and fees. Participants gain agronomic insights to optimize on-farm benefits of regenerative practices. RAFF credit lines will offer a one-year line of credit […]

Fashion industry adopts regenerative agriculture

Despite clothing fabrics touting “organic” or “sustainable” labels to lure ethically minded customers, many of the environmental claims are not accurate. Changing Markets Foundation revealed that over half the claims from leading retailers like Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo were “unsubstantiated.” Levi’s and Reformation also fell short. A newer trend targets how fabrics are grown, prioritizing […]

RIP Arpad Pusztai: Scientist who discovered toxic effects from GMO potatoes

A meticulous scientist who woke up the world to the dangers of GM foods The eminent scientist Dr. Arpad Pusztai passed away last December. As the lead author of the landmark 1999 study that found that genetically modified insecticidal potatoes had toxic effects on rats, Arpad woke up the world to the fact that some GM crops […]

China plans overhaul of seed rules to pave way for GM corn approval

In a significant “turnaround,” the Chinese government is overhauling regulations in the seed industry to clear a path for commercial growing of genetically modified corn. The planned revamp, fortified by the Communist Party’s goal to develop a modern seed industry, was announced in December. The revisions mean that several recently approved GM traits could be […]

Patient receives GM pig heart in transplant procedure

For the first time, a heart from a genetically modified pig was successfully transplanted into a human. This “watershed event” could change the way medicine handles organ failure. David Bennett Sr., a 57-year-old man whose advanced heart disease disqualified him from receiving a human donor heart, underwent the operation on New Year’s Eve at the […]