December, 04 2008, 12:28pm EDT
Genetically Modified Crops Reach 9 Percent of Global Primary Crop Production
WASHINGTON
Genetically modified crops reached 9 percent of global primary crop
production in 2007, bringing the total GM land area up to 114.3 million
hectares, according to Worldwatch Institute estimates published in the
latest Vital Signs Update. The United States continues to be the global leader in production, accounting for half of all GM crop area.
GM production has been on the rise since the crops were first
introduced more than a decade ago, and it now includes 23 countries.
But controversy over the benefits of genetic modification continues,
including questions about the technology's ability to deliver on
promises of enhanced yields and nutrition.
"GM crops are definitely not a silver bullet," said Alice McKeown, a
researcher for the Worldwatch Institute. "They sound good on paper, but
we have yet to see glowing results."
Even as GM crop area expands, tensions are building. The European
Union is expected to offer new guidance on the crops by the end of the
year. Meanwhile, a new scientific study funded by the Austrian
government suggests that a popular variety of GM corn reduces fertility
in mice, raising questions about the technology's safety.
"There are still many unanswered questions about GM crops," said
McKeown. "But the good news is that we have solutions to food security
and other problems available today that we know work and are safe for
humans and the environment, including organic farming."
The Worldwatch Institute was a globally focused environmental research organization based in Washington, D.C., founded by Lester R. Brown. Worldwatch was named as one of the top ten sustainable development research organizations by Globescan Survey of Sustainability Experts. Brown left to found the Earth Policy Institute in 2000. The Institute was wound up in 2017, after publication of its last State of the World Report. Worldwatch.org was unreachable from mid-2019.
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Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) 2024 roundup, which was published Thursday, found that at least 54 journalists were killed on the job or in connection with their work this year, and 18 of them were killed by Israeli armed forces (16 in Palestine, and two in Lebanon).
The organization has also filed four complaints with the International Criminal Court "for war crimes committed by the Israeli army against journalists," according to the roundup, which includes stats from January 1 through December 1.
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Under the Robinson-Patman Act, it is generally illegal for sellers to engage in price discrimination that harms competition by charging higher prices to disfavored retailers that purchase similar goods. The FTC's case filed today seeks to ensure that businesses of all sizes compete on a level playing field with equivalent access to discounts and rebates, which means increased consumer choice and the ability to pass on lower prices to consumers shopping across independent retailers.
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