Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today called for submissions on an application to change the Food Standards Code to allow food derived from a genetically modified soybean. FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said the application was seeking permission to allow food derived from a soybean genetically modified to be tolerant to the herbicide dicamba. Dicamba controls annual and perennial rose weeds in grain crops and highlands, and it is used to control brush and bracken in... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has announced that it is considering approving two Monsanto genetically modified grains and a DSM Food Specialties protein engineered enzyme for Australian consumption. Monsanto Australia has requested approval for an insect-protected soybean line, MON 87701, and a drought-tolerant corn, MON 87460. FSANZ has found no safety concerns with the consumption of food obtained from these two grains. The drought-tolerant corn is specifically designed for North... ...Read more »

Researchers, funded by the US Department of Energy, have completely mapped the soybean genome, according to a study published in Nature magazine.  They have also begun comparing soybean DNA to traits in the growing plant, allowing scientists to select for desirable characteristics such as plant hardiness, digestibility, disease resistance, and reduced environmental impact. Soybeans (Glycine max) are one of the world’s largest staple crops, and can be made into an enormous variety of food... ...Read more »