Despite the political rancor of the election season just past, 2016 has turned out to be one of the most peaceful and positive years ever when it comes to the discussion and science around GMOs. Consider this: The debate over labeling foods produced through biotechnology has raged for some 15 years. But this year, with the implementation of a new, nationwide standard, we now turn the page to educating consumers about the implications. No longer will consumers and food producers face the nightmare of a patchwork of labeling laws at the state level. [node:read-more:link]

There was plenty of controversy leading up to the federal 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines issued last January, much of it surrounding the recommendations by an advisory panel around meat consumption. Prior to the guidelines being published, Nina Teicholz, author of “The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Die”, published an article in the BMJ (formerly The British Medical Journal) questioning the scientific rigor of the expert panel recommendations. [node:read-more:link]

The revelation that tallow was used in the manufacturing process for new British five-pound notes that went into circulation in September has prompted an outcry from vegans, vegetarians and members of certain religious groups. [node:read-more:link]

New North American nitrogen production is beginning to hit the world market in 2016 during a time of oversupply, and it could take the global market a few years to balance out this new production.  New capacity, lower energy prices and currency devaluations have all combined to put significant pressure on nitrogen fertilizer prices, according to a fertilizer industry consultant. Hoadley said world nitrogen production for 2015/2016 is expected to be just over 165 million tons, which is up from closer to 143 million tons in 2009/2010. [node:read-more:link]

If you're curious about what people really think about some of the hottest of hot-button food controversies, the Pew Research Center has just the thing for you: a survey of attitudes toward genetic modification, organic food and the importance of eating healthfully. The survey results are published in a 99-page report that can keep you occupied for days. But if you're pressed for time, here are some of the most interesting highlights that caught our eye. 1. A lot of Americans don't care what scientists think about GMOs. 2. Food sympathies don't follow political sympathies. 3. [node:read-more:link]

For 23 years, Curtis Abbott and his family have been growing and selling Christmas trees on their farm in the town of Charlton, Massachusetts. Photos from previous harvests show picture-perfect trees — towering evergreens with sturdy branches dusted with white snow. But this year, Abbott Tree Farm has shared no photographs.Instead, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, the farm posted an unexpected message on Facebook: “Sorry we are closed.” Drought, said Abbott, had forced the farm to shutter its doors this year — only the second time it’s done so in over two decades. [node:read-more:link]

the United States’ National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) unanimously voted to amend the current US standards for organic foods. Their update will place a ban on ingredients that are derived from new genetic engineering techniques from being used in certified organic products.  The NOSB vote also serves as a recommendation from the organization to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. [node:read-more:link]

A recent University of Kansas (KU) study concludes that Garden City, Kan., home to a Tyson Foods beef packing plant, sets a positive example for how a community can help new immigrants and refugees assimilate.  Tyson’s Finney County complex, as it is called, employs 3,200 workers [node:read-more:link]

President Barack Obama shook Raul's hand last March and for two years has used executive orders to begin ending a nearly 60-year-old embargo. President-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, has said he wants more concessions from the Cubans before relations can move forward. USA Today quoted Trump's vice president Mike Pence telling a Miami audience just before the election: "Let me make you a promise. [node:read-more:link]

PUCO commissioner Howard Petricoff, a lawyer who has practiced energy law for 40 years, resigned today rather than face an Ohio Senate rejection in the final weeks of the year. Gov. John Kasich appointed Petricoff, the commission's only Democrat, to a five-year term on the commission in June. He was one of 19 candidates. [node:read-more:link]