FEED - May 2009
Contents
1. New UCS report: Engineered crops don't substantially boost yield
2. Online UCS column to explore the science of agriculture
3. High-fat diet increases feed efficiency in pigs without antibiotics
4. Farmers get help transitioning to organic
5. Genetically engineered crops banned from national wildlife refuge
1. New UCS report: Engineered crops don't substantially boost yield
Contrary to proponents' claims, genetic engineering (GE) technology has produced, at best, only small increases in yields of major food crops compared with other agricultural methods, according to a new UCS report. The report examined dozens of peer-reviewed studies and found that U.S. yields of soybeans and corn have increased over the past 15 years mainly thanks to traditional breeding and other agricultural practices. The report also concluded that, due to the technical complexity of the task, engineering crop genes for high yield is unlikely to help the world feed itself in the foreseeable future. The report recommends a shift in research emphasis toward traditional breeding and modern ecological farming methods, which have been woefully underfunded. Read the report, Failure to Yield: Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops, or read a Reuters article about it.
| "Despite the common assertion that we need GE crops to solve world hunger, we found that these crops just don't live up to the claims made about them. The GE industry should stop making false claims about yield, and the U.S. government should reconsider its policy of promoting this expensive and disappointing technology to the developing world." ~ Doug Gurian-Sherman, Senior Scientist, Food & Environment |
2. Online UCS column to explore the science of agriculture
A new online UCS column, "The Real Scoop," will offer a science-based perspective on industrial-style agriculture. Written by Doug Gurian-Sherman, senior scientist and author of the report Failure to Yield, the column will cover genetic engineering, CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations), and other food production methods that have enormous impacts on human health, the environment, and society. Bookmark "The Real Scoop" so you can check it often for reliable analysis on breaking news from the world of science and agriculture!
3. High-fat diet increases feed efficiency in pigs without antibiotics
When Iowa State University scientists fed healthy young nursery pigs a high-fat diet instead of antibiotics, they found that the pigs grew well and stayed healthy. The scientists assigned 224 nursery pigs (aged 17-20 days) to a diet that contained either increased fat or low-level antibiotics. Pigs in the high-fat group gained weight faster than pigs that received antibiotics, though both groups ate the same amount and both remained healthy. Read more about the study (pdf). Feeding antibiotics to animals that are not sick can reduce the effectiveness of these drugs in humans. Urge your legislators to support a federal bill that will preserve valuable antibiotics for use in humans.
| "This ground-breaking study shows that modifying pigs' diets may be one key to raising healthy animals without using antibiotics." ~ Margaret Mellon, Director, Food & Environment |
4. Farmers get help transitioning to organic
A new web site from the Purdue University Extension Service in Indiana provides information for organic livestock farmers and those considering a transition to organic. The site features fact sheets and videos about organic and pasture-raised production of cattle, poultry, and pork, as well as daily news about organic and alternative livestock production. And there's more good news for current and would-be organic farmers: the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just approved $50 million in additional funds to help farmers convert land to organic production. Farmers must sign up by May 29 to receive funds. Visit the Purdue site, or read more about the newly available funds (pdf).
5. Genetically engineered crops banned from national wildlife refuge
A federal court has ordered the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to prohibit the planting of GE crops on the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, where local farmers had been growing GE corn and soybeans on more than 500 acres. In a lawsuit, three nonprofit environmental groups raised concerns about harm to wildlife and native plant habitat from the practice. The court's ruling could set a precedent for similar decisions at more than 80 other refuges around the country where GE crops are grown. Read more from one of the plaintiffs, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
