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A Remarkable New Technology That Will Diminish A Global Cancer Threat

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The Food Waste Solution That You Might Not Know You Are Using

Do you buy bagged bread in the grocery store? There are usually several options including...

Yes, We May Have No Bananas, But Monoculture Wasn't So Easy To Avoid

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Nature: The Original Chemist

We frequently see a contrast drawn between what is “natural” and what is “chemical.” Sometimes...

Steve Savage

Trained as a plant pathologist (Ph.D. UC Davis 1982), I've worked now for >30 years in many aspects of agricultural technology (Colorado State Univ., DuPont, Mycogen, independent consultant).... Read More »

Is There Really GMO Pot?

Aug 13 2013 | comment(s)

An interesting issue came up through my volunteer work for the new website, "GMOAnswers.com". Apparently some pot users are concerned that they might be unwittingly consuming what they consider to be a dreaded "GMO."

The irony is that while marijuana has definitely been "genetically modified" to contain higher levels of THC, that change didn't involve the tools of modern biotechnology.

Instead, the changes were achieved using rather clumsy methods from the past.

A Week On An Island Of Angst

Aug 06 2013 | comment(s)

I've just returned from a week on Kauai. It is known as "The Garden Isle" of the Hawaiian chain, but recently that garden has been heavily sown with seeds of fear, suspicion, and conspiratorial narratives.

On Wednesday, the 31^st of July, there was a marathon session of the County Council during which hundreds of people lined up to give testimony about Bill 2491 from 1 pm until midnight. Angst was a common theme. The activist speakers made hyperbolic assertions about heartless corporations perfectly willing to sicken the entire population of the island and destroy the environment. Many non-agricultural residents expressed their palpable fear for the safety of their families.

10 Ways That We Already Reduce Food Waste (6 To 10)

Jul 23 2013 | comment(s)

Food waste is a big problem, particularly in the developing world, but also in the rich world. I have seen quite a bit written recently about how one of the best ways to improve the sustainability and lower the footprint of food production would be to reduce waste. While this is absolutely true, the perspective that has been missing is that we have been working on this issue for a very long time and have made significant advances over the last several decades.