Monsanto-Syngenta deal hinges on sale of seed companies
United States seed giant Monsanto is scrambling to line up buyers for Syngenta’s seed business before another takeover attempt of the Swiss company. The assets are valued at about $8B, …
Avian flu continues to spread; USDA’s Vilsack tackles China poultry ban
A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza continues to spread, with five more Iowa facilities reporting outbreaks on Monday. The number of infected birds has now risen to about 10 …
Zimbabwe takes tobacco road to ag recovery
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is making a comeback, fifteen years after a collapse catalyzed by the nation’s move into nationalizing farmland to improve racial, social and economic equity. The resurgence is …
Weekend op-eds: A farm shift in China…and in North Dakota
One of the best things about weekends is (perhaps) more time to read op-ed pieces. Two of the weekend’s best discuss the consolidation of small family farms into large-scale agribusinesses. …
Lawsuits against Syngenta seek to recoup losses
Biotechnology giant Syngenta is facing hundreds of lawsuits from both farmers and grain exporters, who claim they suffered billions in financial losses when China rejected shipments of U.S. corn and …
International research project: diets worldwide may be worsening
A group of international researchers evaluating data from more than 320 self-reported diet surveys completed between 1990 and 2010 has concluded that while people are eating more healthy foods, their …
Labor dispute at West Coast ports hurts California agriculture
A protracted contract dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and West Coast ports is wreaking havoc on California’s agricultural industry. The union represents 20,000 workers; 29 ports have been …
Genome tracking technology boosts food safety efforts
Jill Neimark (@jillneimark) of Scientific American reports on developments in the field. There’s been an enormous focus on food safety in the news, and with good reason: foodborne pathogens sicken millions …
A highly pathogenic form of avian influenza has been found in a commercial turkey flock in Stanislaus County, California. Two influenza viruses had previously been found in migratory birds and …
China: more interest in organics
Chinese consumers are increasingly seeking organically produced food amidst ongoing food safety concerns. Over the last seven years, a series of high-profile food safety scandals have rocked the nation. An …