Consumers’ views of genetically modified foods (GM foods) can influence food producers’ decisions as to whether to market GM foods or whether to use conventional varieties. Through labelling, supported by certification, consumers could differentiate a GM food from a conventional food. A working group of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling identified seven approaches to labelling of GM foods. ...

Like any technology, agricultural biotechnologies that use genetically modified organisms (gMOs) have their opponents and supporters. For their proponents, the significant benefits of gMOs for humans, animals and the environment clearly outweigh any risks that are inherent with new technologies ( Jauhar, 2006; reis et al, 2006). For example, crops could be genetically engineered to grow more qu...

Glufosinate is currently used to kill unwanted plants in landscape areas where a complete vegetation kill is desired (for example, around the base of shrubs, in sand traps on golf courses, or around fence and sign posts) in industrial, recreational, and public areas such as airports, schools, parking lots, roadsides, and railroad rights-ofway. It is also used as a directed spray (away from crop...

This report suggests a structured way to identify the type of data needed to perform a sound ecological risk assessment for genetically modified higher plants (GMHP). The identified data types are intended to support the evaluation of the following risks: risk of invasion and establishment of the modified plant in natural habitats; risk of introgression of the inserted traits to other plant spe...

The evidence to date shows that these three types of maize production have co-existed without economic and commercial problems. This includes in regions such as Catalunya where GM (Bt) is concentrated. Where non GM maize has been required in some markets, supplies have been relatively easily obtained, based on market-driven adherence to on/post farm segregation and by the purchase of maize from...

Biotechnology, especially the development of genetically modified crops, offers many potential economic, nutritional and environmental benefits, but equally many potential hazards and risks. Approval procedures for the release of genetically modified organisms are established under the Gene Technology Act 2000 (Cth). This article examines the methodology used to identify potential molecular ris...

The development of genetically modified crops has had a great impact on the agriculture and food industries. However, the development of any genetically modified organism (GMO) requires the application of analytical procedures to confirm the equivalence of the GMO compared to its isogenic non-transgenic counterpart. Moreover, the use of GMOs in foods and agriculture faces numerous criticisms fr...

Opposition to genetically modified food encompasses environmental concerns, food-safety concerns and ethical objections. Potential environmental benefits from transgenic crops are not well accepted. Genetic modification is a credence attribute that cannot be detected by consumers without labelling. In the absence of labelling a pooling equilibrium results in an adverse quality effect for those ...

Abiotic stresses such as extremes of temperature and pH, high salinity and drought, comprise some of the major factors causing extensive losses to crop production worldwide. Understanding how plants respond and adapt at cellular and molecular levels to continuous environmental changes is a pre-requisite for the generation of resistant or tolerant plants to abiotic stresses. In this review we ai...

Agricultural biotechnology--GMOs--has a huge positive impact on farming and farmers but remains controversial among the skeptical public. Curious but anxious consumers, driven by scare stories and pseudo-science provided by anti-GMO activists, seek accurate and authoritative answers to their questions. Here, I address a sample of such queries directed to me from the public, including the ubiqui...