AgBioWorld Members Discuss USDA Statistics, Scandinavian Study on Organic Foods, Threats Against Scientific Researchers and Slate Article

USDA Publishes New Biotech Crops Statistics Abstract: A member posted a link to a new USDA report on the growth of biotechnology in the United States. The report states that despite the decrease from 2007, planted acreage is at its second highest level since 1946. Corn producers planted 80 percent of their acreage with biotech seed varieties, up 7 percent from 2007 and soybean producers planted 92 percent of their crops with biotech seed varieties. Source: USDA Economic Research Service Scandinavian Study Finds Organic Foods Not More Nutritious Than Conventional Abstract: A study funded by the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS) was posted this week. The study compared the nutritional benefits of organic and conventional foodstuffs. The study found that, contrary to popular opinion, organic foodstuffs do not contain more major “trace elements� or nutrients than conventional foodstuffs. Several members posted comments on the origin...