Biodiversity

"MANCHESTER, N.H. — In this small state with a very big legislature, the top official at the association for grocery stores knew he had a lot of people to convince about an important food-labeling bill. But he also had a lot of members on his side."

"A public interest group is asking a court to force the U.S. Department of Agriculture to turn over documents explaining its approval of a genetically altered alfalfa even as the department acknowledged the crop's potential to do environmental damage."

"As California faces a historic drought, a U.S. appeals court on Thursday sided with federal wildlife regulators who had recommended that the state reduce exports of water from north to south California in order to protect a finger-sized fish, the threatened Delta smelt."

"WASHINGTON -- A third of U.S. organic farmers have experienced problems in their fields due to the nearby use of genetically modified crops, and over half of those growers have had loads of grain rejected because of unwitting GMO contamination."

"Across the southeastern United States a battle is raging -- ant against ant."

"British scientists have developed genetically modified potatoes that are resistant to the vegetable's biggest threat -- blight."

"Remember those ballot initiatives in California and Washington that aimed to get food companies to label products containing genetically modified ingredients?"

"ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (AP) — Vermont beekeepers face mite infestations, extreme temperature swings and the possibility of colony collapse. Last fall, a new threat emerged: zombie bees."

"Scientists and biotechnology companies are developing what could become the next powerful weapon in the war on pests — one that harnesses a Nobel Prize-winning discovery to kill insects and pathogens by disabling their genes."

"Mexico's salamander-like axolotl may have disappeared from its only known natural habitat in Mexico City's few remaining lakes."