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by Rebecca Nesbit The question of whether genetic modification can improve food security and reduce environmental consequences of agriculture doesn’t yet have a clear answer, but if we are going to answer it as well as possible there are some questions which both sides of the debate need to answer yes to. Firstly [...] by Rebecca Nesbit My excitement of today was to attend the anti-GM protest organised by Take the Flour Back, joining the group of bystanders wearing ‘Don’t Destroy Research’ badges. Take the Flour Back (I don’t get the name – apparently it’s something to do with Rage Against the Machines) objects to a trial [...] By Rebecca Nesbit Happy New Year! Last year I blogged about the challenges and promises of second-generation biofuels (those made from agricultural by-products such as straw or from woody plants such as poplar). If these crops are going to be a relatively cheap and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, we will have [...] by Rebecca Nesbit In the EU three varieties of herbicide-tolerant oilseed rape are approved for import and food use. Although they are not grown commercially in the EU, there is a concern that grain will be spilt during transport. The seed could grow in fields or in the wild, and could inter-breed [...] by Rebecca Nesbit Throughout our decades of pesticide use we have tried to create pesticides that are lethal to pests but don’t affect non-target organisms such as ladybirds and bees. One of the avenues scientists are going down for this reason is GM crops. This 2010 study published in Ecotoxicology [...] In 1995 the USA controversially approved Bt cotton for commercial use. Fifteen years on its effect on farming and the rural community have been analysed in a study from the University of Göttingen. Bt cotton is resistant to many caterpillar and beetle pests, so it reduces the amount of pesticide needed to control these [...] Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are together one of the world’s leading agricultural producers – Russia alone produces over 10% of the world’s potatoes. However, the potential potato crop is almost halved due to factors such as weediness, viruses, cold winters and dry summers. Another cause of major losses is the Colarado beetle, an invasive [...] |
Rebecca Nesbit
Emma Wright |
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