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Agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto will scrap all pending approval requests to grow new types of genetically modified (GM) crops in the European Union in the coming months, company officials confirmed on 17 July. The company will now focus its efforts on securing EU approval to import genetically modified products, which are widely grown and marketed in the United States and South America.

If you had a question about how to protect yourself from a criminal known to break into houses in your neighborhood, would you ask him how to protect your home and then take his suggestions, or would you be suspicious he might be answering them in a way that would make your home even easier to encroach?

Roseanne Barr would like to burn down my papaya farm in Hawaii. The wealthy actress said so earlier this month, during a public hearing on Hawaii Bill 79, proposed legislation that would outlaw growing genetically modified crops on the Big Island.

Percy Schmeiser was a farmer. Shortly after the Monsanto company introduced genetically modified (GM) canola plants to Canada, Percy Schmeiser was a farmer facing a lawsuit. After hearing that GM crops could potentially increase yields, three farmers in Schmeiser's region planted fields of Monsanto's seed. Winds pushed pollen from GM canola into Schmeiser's fields, and the plants cross-pollinated. The breed he had been cultivating for 50 years was now contaminated by Monsanto's GM canola.

Canada geese may have spread viable seeds of genetically modified wheat grown at the Central Experimental Farm, documents from Agriculture Canada show. The odds aren’t high, the department says.

First India gives Monsanto a run for their ill-gotten money by refusing their patent applications, and now Italy, with the help of three Italian ministries, will try to undo Monsanto.

Monsanto Pakistan had submitted an application in October 2008 seeking approval for seed import and field trials of Genetically Modified corn in Pakistan. The permission was granted and the process of field trials continued for two years. The trials concluded successfully in December 2010, and consequently, in February 2011, Monsanto Pakistan submitted an application and a scientific dossier seeking approval for commercial release of Genetically Modified Corn. This product is named “VT Double Pro.”

Campaigners against genetic modification (GM) of foods yesterday vehemently opposed any move to release — Bt Brinjal — the country’s first GM crop.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, a non-profit that promotes crop biotechnology, reports that the United States has about 70 million hectares (170 million acres) of land planted with GMO crops; Brazil has about 40 million hectares (90 million acres).

As you’ve probably heard, USDA/APHIS has found that volunteer wheat plants in an Oregon field contained Monsanto’s genetically-engineered trait for glyphosate resistance. GE wheat is not approved for production or sale anywhere in the world.