Just Label It News Roundup 6-22

Genetic engineers are altering brewers’ yeast to generate fake beer without hops. There are three reasons to be concerned about the Department of Agriculture’s proposed GMO labeling rules. The Trump administration, after heavy lobbying by the chemical industry, is scaling back the way the federal government determines health and safety risks associated with the most dangerous chemicals on the market, Environmental Protection Agency documents show. The Food and Drug Administration has been testing food samples for traces of glyphosate for two years, but the agency has not yet released any official results. A new study shows honeybees are incredibly smart creatures. On Tuesday, Hawaii made history, as it became the first state in the U.S. to ban chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic pesticide that causes significant damage to children’s brain development. Also in the news, the EPA’s inspector general is probing whether an agency staffer colluded with Monsanto. The investigation comes in response to documents released in a court case over whether the herbicide glyphosate causes cancer.

3 Reasons to be Concerned about the USDA’s Proposed GMO Labeling Rules

Advocates say the rules raise a number of red flags, and could end up causing more confusion than clarity.

Quebec to spend $500 million to get more people eating locally grown food

Already a national leader in the production of local and organic food, the Quebec government is promising to spend $500 million over the next five years to boost the fledgling industry. Speaking at a farm in Île Perrot, just off Montreal’s West Island, Premier Philippe Couillard said Friday the money will go toward increasing exports of Quebec-grown food, expanding processing capacity and encouraging more production in rural areas.

Estonian government endorses organic area targets for 2021

According to organic area targets approved by the Estonian government on Thursday, it will be possible to grow or harvest organic products on at least 51 percent of Estonia’s land area in 2021.

The Chemical Industry Scores a Big Win at the E.P.A.

The Trump administration, after heavy lobbying by the chemical industry, is scaling back the way the federal government determines health and safety risks associated with the most dangerous chemicals on the market, documents from the Environmental Protection Agency show.

Emails Show FDA Chemists Have Been Quietly Finding Glyphosate in Food

The FDA has been testing food samples for traces of glyphosate for two years, but the agency has not yet released any official results.

Honeybees are incredibly smart creatures. Smarter than we thought, even.

Animal intelligence is a thorny field; researchers don’t even like to use the word “intelligence,” instead preferring to discuss specific behaviors and abilities rather than smarts as a whole.

Hawaii Becomes First State in the U.S. to Ban the Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos

Tuesday Hawaii made history, as it became the first state in the U.S. to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic neurotoxin that causes significant damage to brain development in children. The pesticide’s detrimental health effects led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Obama administration to propose banning all of its agricultural uses, but the Pruitt-led EPA under the current administration reversed this pledge. The bill, SB3095, is a significant first step in protecting public health from pesticide harms for the State of Hawaii. In addition to banning chlorpyrifos, SB3095 requires all users of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) to report usage of these pesticides and mandates minimum 100-foot no-spray zones for RUPs around schools during school hours.

GM beer, anyone?

Genetic engineers in California have genetically engineered brewers’ yeast that can make a beer-like substance without the use of hops.

The EPA’s Inspector General Is Probing Whether An Agency Staffer Colluded With Monsanto

The investigation comes in response to documents released in a court case over whether the herbicide glyphosate causes cancer.

Governor Ige signs SB3095 into law, banning all use of chlorpyrifos

Hawai’i made history today when Governor David Ige, watched by representatives of the community from across the islands, signed into law Senate Bill 3095, banning all uses of chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxin that has been banned for home use for over 10 years because of its known impacts on the developing brains of children. This law also mandates 100-foot no-spray buffer zones around schools to protect children from open air spraying of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) during school hours. Chemical companies will have to report regularly on the RUPs they sprayed, when and where they sprayed, and in what quantities. This will allow impacted communities to access information about what they are being exposed to, and regulators to make informed decisions about protecting public health, the environment, and endangered ecosystems.