Category Archives: Biotechnology

Bt Cotton in Africa: What Happened in Burkina Faso?

Posted on August 6, 2016 by GDS

As stories about GM crops in developing countries unfold, I continue to be struck by how very different each case is.  Despite the desire for simple global narratives of success or failure, the crops differ, the transgenic traits differ, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Biotechnology | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

CRISPR and the Monsanto Problem (GMO, be some other name!)

Posted on February 23, 2016 by GDS

‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a GMO. What’s GMO? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology, CRISPR | 17 Comments

Golden Rice: Bringing a Superfood Down to Earth

Posted on August 28, 2015 by GDS

 May 2016: The article “Disembedding grain: Golden Rice, the Green Revolution, and heirloom seeds in the Philippines,” by Dominic Glover and me, has been published in the journal Agriculture & Human Values and is available here. This blog post is … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology, Food, Philippines | 39 Comments

GM Foods: A Moment of Honesty

Posted on July 29, 2015 by GDS

As the latest controversy over GMO’s unfolds – this time it’s about a House Bill that would ban labeling laws – it’s time for a moment of honesty about science and safety. Of course safety is hardly the only bone … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology, Food, Public Health, Regulation | Tagged , , , | 56 Comments

Do Farmers Want GM Crops?

Posted on November 15, 2014 by GDS

Do small farmers in developing countries want GM crops?  That is a truly divisive question, and it seems like anyone with a dog in the hunt gets to speak for the farmers.  I want to consider what’s wrong with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology, India | 14 Comments

A century later, we find out…

Posted on September 19, 2014 by GDS

These two items appeared in separate sections of the NY Times yesterday: There was an obituary for Elizabeth Whelan, who started the American Council on Science and Health back in 1978. This was an industry-supported initiative claiming to represent “Science, … Continue reading →

Posted in Biotechnology, Food, Public Health, Regulation | 5 Comments

GM Grass Goes Yard

Posted on February 1, 2014 by GDS

The grass seed company Scotts Miracle-Gro announced at its shareholder meeting this past week that they would be having employees testing genetically modified grass seed in their yards. Is that legal? Yes.  Because it’s been approved as environmentally safe?  Nope; … Continue reading →

Posted in Biotechnology, Regulation | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

The Myriad Case on Gene Patents: 3 Things to Know

Posted on April 15, 2013 by GDS

15 Apr 2013: The Myriad case on “human gene patents” was argued at the Supreme Court this morning and it’s a big day for Intellectual Property. Here are 3 things you should know: 1. It’s not really about human genes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Biotechnology, Intellectual Property | 5 Comments

Bt Cotton is Failing; Blame the Farmers

Posted on February 9, 2013 by GDS

Of all the GMO controversies around the world, the saga of Bt cotton in India continues to be one of the most interesting and important. In the latest chapter, reported by the Business Standard, cotton yields have dropped to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology, India | Tagged , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

This is Your Brain on GMO’s

Posted on January 13, 2013 by GDS

Last week British anti-GMO activist Mark Lynas took to the podium at a conference to apologize (or apologise) for having spent years “ripping up GMO’s.” Now he has decided that Genetically Modified Organisms are “an important technological option” and that … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biotechnology | Tagged , , | 10 Comments