Despite fears of opening the floodgates to more “frankenfoods”, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is poised to approve a new genetically-engineered salmon that grows twice as fast as the natural variety. If they do, it would make the first genetically engineered animal ever approved for sale to consumers. Armed with pitchforks and torches, the usual suspects who fear the …
LA Times Critical of UCLA HFCS Study
Every so often you come across a single well turned phrase that you wish had come out of your own mouth. I did so this morning while checking out a blog in the Los Angeles Times regarding the latest over-blown information purporting links between fructose sweetener and cancer. Tami Dennis, health and science editor of the Los Angeles Times wrote …
Corn Yields Rising, Environmental Impact Declining
If you ever get a chance to watch a presentation by Fred Below, University of Illinois, then you should do it. You’ll not only be entertained and informed but come away energized. He is passionate about his work and you will have no doubts about that when he’s done. He says his work mainly consists in figuring out how to …
Spark A New Green Revolution With Ag Research
I previewed the keynote address to open the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference earlier today. Now here’s the full comments from Dr. Gale Buchanan, former USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. Dr. Buchanan was introduced by NCGA President, Darrin Ihnen, and I’m also posting his welcome message. During the next couple days I’ll be doing …
Fueling Juicy Steaks
It is pretty hard to improve upon corn-fed beef, but research coming out of the University of Illinois shows that there may be a way to maintain the delicious flavor and reasonable cost while improving farmer profitability. Beef lovers know that high marbling makes a great steak. Just by looking at the cut in the butcher’s case, they can see …
Orange Corn Could Save Lives
Frank Sinatra once said “orange is the happiest color” - and Purdue University researchers are studying how making corn happier could make a better life for malnourished children with Vitamin A deficiencies. The researchers have found that by manipulating a newly discovered gene in corn they can increase vitamin A content which could have significant implications for reducing childhood blindness …
Top Scientists and Petroleum Operatives See a Future for Bio-Products
If you’ve sort of forgotten about domestic ethanol as an alternative to imported gasoline, be assured that Tom Stephens hasn’t. Stephens, who was in Orlando recently to speak at the National Ethanol Conference, is vice chairman of global product operations for General Motors. He knows as well as anybody that our gasoline supply won’t last forever, and we’re long past …
Big Corn Bullies
Bigger corn plants may be bullying their smaller brothers, according to a new study by Purdue University. Research by Purdue agronomist Tony Vyn has shown that corn plants are in a fierce battle with each other for resources. “There is a hierarchy that is formed, even though the plants are genetically the same and should be equal in size and …
Increasing Corn Yields
“No plant left behind” is the motto of Purdue University researcher Tony Vyn, who is working to increase grain yield for corn at higher plant densities. “The only way to pursue and achieve higher grain yields on a per-acre basis at high plant densities is to make sure that every single plant has the opportunity to compete with its neighbor …
Let’s Hear a Cheer for the Guys in the Lab Coats!
I want to see Oprah wax poetic about the nobility of science and the implications of the full exposure of the corn genome. Instead of Martha Stewart prattling on about the merits of a vegetarian Thanksgiving, and what is wrong with the family farms producing our food, I am waiting for a provocative look at what this understanding of our …