Currently, over 90 percent of corn, cotton, and soybean acreage in the United States is planted with genetically engineered (GE) seeds. Most of these GE seeds are either herbicide tolerant (HT) or insect resistant (Bt). Seeds that have both HT and Bt traits are referred to as “stacked.” A decade ago, 40 percent of U.S. […]
The European Commission has officially decided to lift the additional checks it used to impose on Egyptian fresh strawberries, according to Agriculture Minister Ezz el Din Abu Steet. Member states of the EU Commission Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed voted to remove the Egyptian strawberries from the list of crops that require […]
Researchers in Brazil have confirmed the presence of a new bacterial disease in corn in the state of Parana in southern Brazil. The Agronomic Institute of Parana (Iapar) recently sent out an alert to farmers in the state indicating the presence of the new disease. The new disease is bacterial leaf streak (Xanthomonas vasicola pv.), […]
The latest go-to guide to how Australia protects itself against exotic plant pests and diseases reveals the tremendous effort being made across the country to sustain our plant industries, unique ecosystems and standards of living. The tenth edition of the National Plant Biosecurity Status Report was released this week by Plant Health Australia (PHA), the […]
Europol, along with support from the European Anti-Fraud Office, has seized 360 tonnes of counterfeit pesticides, the largest ever pesticides seizure carried out by the EU’s law enforcement agency. The seizures were made as part of Europol’s Operation Silver Axe III. Checks were carried out at seaports, airports and land borders. Pesticides can only be […]
The 5th renewal programme for active substances whose approval expires between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2024 a work programme has been created, see Commission Implementing Decision C/2018/3434. The list of Rapporteur Member States and co-rapporteur Member concerning these active substances is published in Regulation EU 2018/155, amending Regulation EU 686/2012. The work programme […]
With 96 per cent of China’s villages connected to the Internet and each rural household having on an average three mobile phones, the sickle and hoe have been replaced by the smarphones and apps as the country’s emblematic farming tools. In east China’s Jiangxi province, smart greenhouses with watering and fertilising controlled via mobile phone […]
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has produced Guidance on human and animal health aspects of the risk assessment of nanoscience and nanotechnology applications in the food and feed chain. It covers the application areas within EFSA’s remit, e.g. novel foods, food contact materials, food/feed additives and pesticides. The Guidance takes account of the new developments that […]
The Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Aboloma, says Pesticide is a major agrochemical product that can be used to boost food production apart from fertilizer, in the country. Aboloma said this at a one day sensitisation workshop organised for farmers on Thursday in Kano. The DG was represented by the Director […]