11/May/22

 

Remember how glyphosate and glyphosate-tolerant crops were supposed to mean an end to (or at least a drastic reduction in) tillage, mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions? An important study has found that emerging weed resistance increases tillage intensity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the US corn–soybean cropping system. Using a modelling approach, the researchers examined the change in tillage intensity across the US corn–soybean cropping systems during 1998–2016 and the impact of tillage intensity on soil GHG emissions. They found that tillage intensity first decreased and then, after 2008, increased, a trend that is strongly correlated with the adoption of herbicide-tolerant crops and emerging weed resistance. The GHG mitigation benefit of decreasing tillage intensity before 2008 was more than offset by increased GHG emissions due to tillage re-intensification under the growing pressure of weed resistance. As weed resistance persists or grows, tillage intensity is anticipated to continue rising, probably increasing GHG emissions. The results underscore the importance of an alternative strategy to control weeds, the researchers conclude. [GMW comment: This study demolishes claims by GMO industry consultants Graham Brooks and Peter Barfoot that GM crops have reduced GHG emissions from farmland.] Nature Food

 

 

Due to an unprecedented flood of stakeholder input, relevant EU agencies announced their risk assessment on glyphosate will only come in mid-2023, even though the herbicide’s current approval will expire by the end of this year. The EU’s chemicals agency (ECHA) and Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are currently assessing the health and environmental risks linked to the controversial substance. As the EU’s current authorisation for glyphosate is set to expire by December, the agencies’ assessment was originally set to come in time to inform the decision for or against renewing the approval. However, EFSA and ECHA announced on 10 May that they had revised the timeline for the assessment and would not finalise the process before July 2023. According to a joint press statement put out by EFSA and ECHA, the delay is due to an “unprecedented number of comments” on the draft assessment report published in the summer of last year. [GMW comment: Pesticide Action Network Europe has denounced the mismanagement of the glyphosate file by EFSA and objects to any prolongation of the approval on the grounds that it will put public health at risk.] Euractiv

 

 

Top officials at the University of Pennsylvania allegedly manipulated a Perelman School of Medicine investigation into years of workplace abuse allegations within the School's Gene Therapy Program (GTP) in order to protect its financial interests and director Jim Wilson, according to internal reports obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian. Following previous reports on GTP’s toxic workplace environment, based upon testimonies of 11 current and former GTP employees, the DP obtained a selection of documents alleging that Penn administrators covered up a lengthy investigation into the program’s workplace and its leadership. Medical School human resources administrator Michelle Hackett — who co-led the investigation into GTP, called the investigation a “shameless cover-up”. Her supervisor, Medical School HR director Al Johnson, told her that the University would not address complaints against Wilson because of the amount of money he generates for the institution through GTP and his other gene therapy companies, according to Hackett. The Daily Pennsylvanian