Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will no longer regulate a genetically-modified corn developed by Monsanto to resist dicamba herbicide, the agency said on Wednesday. The move by the agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), means it can now be planted without permits or any additional regulatory oversight from […] Read more
USDA clears Monsanto, Syngenta corn traits
EU defers decision on glyphosate safety
Brussels | Reuters — The European Union on Tuesday put off a decision on whether to extend approval for glyphosate, used in herbicides including Monsanto’s Roundup, after a dispute between EU and U.N. agencies over whether it causes cancer. Experts from all 28 member states attended a closed-door meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, […] Read more
Monsanto threatens to exit India over GM royalty row
New Delhi | Reuters –– Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed company, threatened to pull out of India on Friday if the government imposed a big cut in royalties that local firms pay for its genetically modified cotton seeds. Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India), a joint venture with India’s Mahyco, licenses a gene that produces its own […] Read more
GM alfalfa may already be in Alberta
Accidental contamination of foundation seed heightens fears that forage and hay markets worth hundreds of millions are in peril
Reading Time: 7 minutes Genetically modified alfalfa has somehow made its way into Alberta — raising fears that western Canadian forage seed growers and hay exporters could be shut out of markets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Alberta Farmer recently learned that a batch of foundation seed contaminated with Roundup Ready alfalfa was sent to a forage seed […] Read more
BASF to cut half the jobs in plant biotech unit
Leverkusen, Germany | Reuters –– BASF, the world’s largest chemicals group by sales, will cut half of the 700 jobs at its plant biotechnology business, slashing some early development projects in yield improvement and stress tolerance and all of its rice yield and corn fungal resistance projects. BASF’s plant biotechnology unit is developing improved plant […] Read more
Monsanto to pay U.S. SEC settlement over Roundup earnings
Washington | Reuters — Monsanto will pay US$80 million to settle civil accounting violations after it allegedly misstated its earnings in connection with its top-selling Roundup product, U.S. securities regulators said Tuesday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also said three accounting and sales executives have agreed to settle charges in connection with the […] Read more
China clears Xtend soybean variety for import
Reuters — Monsanto said on Feb. 3 it received import approval from China for its new genetically modified Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and will sell the seeds in the U.S. and Canada for the 2016 growing season. China, the world’s biggest soybean importer, does not allow imports of new genetically modified crops until they […] Read more
China seeks food security with friendly bid for Syngenta
Basel | Reuters — China made its boldest overseas takeover move when state-owned ChemChina agreed a US$43 billion bid for Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta on Wednesday, aiming to improve domestic food production. The largest ever foreign purchase by a Chinese firm, announced by both companies, will accelerate a shake-up in global agrochemicals and […] Read more
Syngenta still looking at different tie-ups
Zug | Reuters — Syngenta is in talks about a possible merger and is weighing a number of options, the Swiss agrichemicals group’s chairman said Wednesday. Michel Demare said last month that the crop chemicals and seeds company was in talks with China’s state-owned ChemChina, U.S. seeds giant Monsanto and others. When asked about the […] Read more
EU food safety watchdog hits back in glyphosate safety row
Brussels | Reuters –– The head of Europe’s food safety watchdog has written to a group of nearly 100 senior scientists strongly rejecting their criticisms in a row about the safety of glyphosate. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which advises European Union policymakers, issued an opinion in November that glyphosate is unlikely to cause […] Read more
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