As in past debates over genetically modified crops, biotech developers say that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that the risks are manageable. Despite science-based concerns voiced by farmers, environmentalists and even its own researchers, the United States Department of Agriculture has approved more than 100 applications to grow so-called biopharma crops of corn, soybeans, barley, rice, safflower and tobacco in the United States. Despite science-based concerns voiced by farmers,...

As a result, like many seasonal agricultural products, the Louisiana crawfish industry has come to count on migrant labor, especially Mexican labor. That is a huge improvement from last year when crawfish were going for as much as $4 a pound in some areas. Despite the challenges, Lutz said this is shaping up to be a good year for crawfish lovers. Despite that, he said the basin, while only producing a small number of crawfish at this time, is still showing an improvement from past years....

Besides, the slashing of import duties on edible oils, even if in phases, is another move that can be interpreted as a preference for imports over domestic production. What adds to the worry is that the edible oil availability in the international market is likely to dwindle due to the large scale diversion of these oils to bio-fuel production. We fear that we may not be able to control the landed cost of imported oils even by bringing the duties to zero level in the coming years, the...

While many of the practical nanotech applications are yet to be realized, the physical and intellectual infrastructure to advance nanotech research is growing by leaps and bounds, fueled by billions of dollars in investments, according to an article scheduled for the April 9 issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS weekly newsmagazine. While many of the practical nanotech applications are yet to be realized, the physical and intellectual infrastructure to advance nanotech research...

The federal agency also generally doesn't track where such crops are grown, only where farmers conduct initial tests of such crops in their fields. Today, federal authorities estimate, about 100 million acres of biologically altered crops are grown each year in this country. But as it is worded now, she fears, it might force farmers to reveal competitive business information and spend too much time filling out forms. Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, has introduced a bill, AB 541,...

Vincent and the Grenadines to explain the non-submission of data on their individual rice imports. However several regional countries routinely ignore submitting information on activities of their rice sector or provide only partial data. Guyana has always argued that it can supply rice for regional consumption but this would required member states provide timely data on production, imports and exports to the CARICOM Secretariat twice yearly. Guyana offended by Rice Monitoring Mechanism...