November 23, 2024 | 09:07 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Monday- 11:22, 01/01/2024

US finds Bayer’s genetically modified corn can be safely grown — but there’s a big catch

(VAN) Midway through 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture said Bayer could grow genetically modified short corn for commercial consumption.
Bayer is already growing a non-GMO short corn and plans to increase what was a 30,000-acre trial in 2023 to 60,000 acres in 2024.

Bayer is already growing a non-GMO short corn and plans to increase what was a 30,000-acre trial in 2023 to 60,000 acres in 2024.

It marked another victory for crops engineered to withstand extreme conditions. Resilient crops have become increasingly common as human-produced heat-trapping gases envelop the planet like a blanket and cause global temperatures to rise.

“Short-stature corn is among the latest crop varieties developed to withstand increasingly volatile weather associated with climate change, joining a growing list that includes drought- and heat-tolerant corn, soybeans, and wheat,” Reuters reported.

The outlet noted corn is America’s largest crop by acreage planted and net value. With rice and wheat, it makes up 60% of the world’s food energy intake, according to National Geographic.

The Environmental Protection Agency and importing nations still need to approve the short corn, but the USDA stated it is not subject to regulation and can be grown safely because it is “unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated corn plants.”

The catch: It won’t be available until at least the middle of the decade. Bayer, a German health care and agriculture conglomerate, has estimated sales of short corn in North America could reach $1.1 billion, per Reuters.

Short corn can stand up to windstorms, produce higher yields via denser planting, and allow farmers to tend the crop longer into the summer, according to Science. It’s in the same vein as salt-resistant rice, heat-resistant apples, and low-chill cherries — all manufactured to thrive in warming temperatures or related conditions such as seawater intrusion.

Bayer is already growing a non-GMO short corn and plans to increase what was a 30,000-acre trial in 2023 to 60,000 acres in 2024. It is developing a third type of short-stature corn, which is gene-edited.

Short corn is 30-40% shorter than traditional corn, but its leaves are similar in size and number, Bayer states. The company says it is producing these alternatives to help feed a human population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050.

HD

(YN)

Gaza food production ‘decimated’ with 70% of farmland hit

Gaza food production ‘decimated’ with 70% of farmland hit

(VAN) Israeli attacks have destroyed huge areas of land used for crops, with 90% of cattle killed, analysis shows.

Improving safety at sea at a time of climate change

Improving safety at sea at a time of climate change

(VAN) Interview with Manuel Barange, Director of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division.

British farmers warn of bitter harvest

British farmers warn of bitter harvest

(VAN) Finances, politics and a cultural divide push the agriculture sector to the brink and stir up anger.

Small farms key to taking on hunger

Small farms key to taking on hunger

(VAN) Modest operations account for more than 90% of global food producers.

What the farmers' protest tells us about their argument with the government

What the farmers' protest tells us about their argument with the government

(VAN) The farmers' demonstration was best summed up in two images: real tractors being driven by farmers around Parliament Square, and beside them a collection of toy tractors being peddled around by their children.

FAO urges all its Members and partners to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

FAO urges all its Members and partners to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

(VAN) G20’s initiative is officially launched in Brazil. FAO will host the Global Alliance’s Support Mechanism.

COP29 showcases China’s progress in green transition

COP29 showcases China’s progress in green transition

(VAN) China has provided and mobilized more than 177 billion yuan of project funds since 2016 in support of other developing countries' climate response, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Read more