Gene-edited wheat and barley varieties are expected to be grown on commercial farms in England as early as 2026, according to Farmers Weekly. The article says, "This comes after trial plots of one wheat variety were successfully harvested at the John Innes Centre near Norwich. And two further cereal varieties being grown in glasshouses at Rothamsted Research are due to be harvested this autumn. Seed from all three will be multiplied up during 2025 and grown on commercial farms alongside control plots in further trials in 2026 to establish their potential." [GMWatch comments that if things go according to plan, the UK wheat supply will be in danger of being contaminated with GMOs that have not been tested or assessed for safety. The three cereal varieties featured in the Farmers Weekly piece are low asparagine wheat, another wheat claimed to have bigger grains, and a barley aimed at lowering livestock methane emissions (something that can be accomplished in cattle by feeding algae supplements).] GMWatch comment on article in Farmers Weekly

 

 

A new scientific report lends weight to consumer concerns about pesticide residues on food, presenting fresh evidence that washing fruit before eating does not remove various toxic chemicals commonly used in agriculture. The paper, published in the American Chemical Society’s journal Nano Letters, comes amid ongoing debate over the extent of pesticide contamination of food and the associated health risks. In May, Consumer Reports said it had determined that 20% of 59 different fruit and vegetable categories carried pesticide residues at levels that posed “significant risks” to consumers, based on an analysis of data gathered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The central aim of the new paper is to share the technical details of a process the authors developed for enhanced trace detection of pesticides in foods. But the underlying finding about the ineffectiveness of washing fruit is important for consumers who may be relying on food safety practices that are insufficient, the authors said. The Guardian

 

 

Bayer shares jumped as the company said it scored a legal victory in its suit over claims that exposure to its popular Roundup weedkiller led to cancer. The company announced that the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia found in its favour against plaintiff David Schaffner’s claim alleging a state law violation incurred by failing to add a cancer warning to the Roundup label. Schaffner, a landscaper, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006. [GMW: Bayer now has a total market value of around $30 billion. Just to put things in perspective: before Bayer announced its planned Monsanto takeover its market value was over $100 billion; Bayer then paid $63 billion to buy Monsanto!] CNBC

 

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