20.05.2012
A group of U.S. seed, chemical and equipment companies will invest at least $150 million over the next few years into African agricultural projects and products, the companies said on Friday.
The investments pledged by DuPont, Monsanto, Cargill and others are part of an overall $3 billion effort by companies around the world announced by President Barack Obama.
more11.05.2012
A fast-spreading plague of "super weeds" taking over U.S. farmland will not be stopped easily, and farmers and government officials need to change existing practices if food production is to be protected, industry experts said on T hursday.
"This is a complex problem," said weed scientist David Shaw in remarks to a national "summit" of weed experts in Washington to come up with a plan to battle weeds that have developed resistance to herbicides.
more03.05.2012
A California initiative to require labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients appeared headed for the ballot in November after organizers said on Wed nesday they had gathered nearly 1 million signatures in favor of the measure.
The hotly contested proposal is similar to measures being pushed in other U.S. states and at the federal level as GMO opponents demand more transparency in food products.
more24.04.2012
A new biotech corn developed by Dow AgroSciences could answer the prayers of U.S. farmers plagued by a fierce epidemic of super-weeds. Or it could trigger a flood of dangerous chemicals that may make weeds even more resistant and damage other important U.S. crops.
Or, it could do both.
more19.04.2012
Syngenta, the world's largest agrochemicals company, posted a smaller-than-expected rise in quarterly sales, as the impact of a drought in Latin America offset the benefits from bumper seed sales and an early start to the planting season.
more18.04.2012
Cheap natural gas from North American shale developments and growth in Latin American markets likely helped U.S. chemical makers offset weak first-quarter demand from Europe, which is struggling with a sovereign debt crisis and high unemployment.
Dow Chemical, Dupont and others in the sector produce many of the building blocks for clothing, construction materials, food and thousands of other items. The industry's results are often a key barometer of broader economic trends.
more28.03.2012
A group of U.S. family farmers said on Wednesday it is appealing its lawsuit against Monsanto to challenge the company's patents on technologies for genetically modified seeds.
The group of organic farmers and seed dealers says its industry is at risk from Monsanto's growing market dominance.
more15.03.2012
DuPont says it expects soy supplements to fuel much of the growth in its food ingredients business and for its products to help solve the widespread problem of weed tolerance to pesticides.
more15.02.2012
A French court on Monday declared U.S. biotech giant Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer, a judgment that could lend weight to other health claims against pesticides.
In the first such case heard in court in France, grain grower Paul Francois, 47, says he suffered neurological problems including memory loss, headaches and stammering after inhaling Monsanto's Lasso weedkiller in 2004.
He blames the agri-business giant for not providing adequate warnings on the product label.
more31.01.2011
Some of the world's top firms agreed on Friday to invest in agriculture projects in Tanzania and Vietnam, warning of more unrest in the developing world if food production does not keep pace with population growth.
Business leaders announced a plan at a news conference at the World Economic Forum to increase food production by 20%, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and reducing rural poverty by 20% in a decade.
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