BASF's genetically modified potato, Amflora.
BASF quit. The German chemicals and biotech giant, who had been fighting hard for 13 years to get approval for Amflora, its genetically modified starched-up potato for industrial use, is giving up on the European market for GMO (genetically modified organisms). The reason? “A lack of acceptance from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians,” said Stefan Marcinowski, a BASF board member. “Therefore, it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market.” BASF is moving its plant science headquarters from Limburgerhof, Germany, to Raleigh, North Carolina.
The decision occurred 18 months after an attempt by the European Commission to put an end to a 12-year moratorium on GM crops by allowing individual countries to decide whether or not to grow GM crops. Seemingly, that initiative is not going anywhere, and BASF decided to finally cut its losses, and move to greener pastures. The company said that it has decided to focus on “attractive markets”… in the Americas and in Asia.
The dawn of a New Year is the time that many of us choose to make good resolutions. Starting with our health. Now, how about if, on top (or instead) of goals set in numbers of daily calories consumed, weekly workout sessions and pounds lost, we were to commit to mindfulness? Mindfulness about the food we consume.
About 9 million horses currently live in America. As early as a month from now, dozens of thousands of them may start joining the ranks of cattle processed in U.S. slaughterhouses, and be sold as meat for human consumption.
