Of course we must continue to monitor for adverse effects, but that does not mean we should bury our heads in the sand, ignoring the enormous potential of GM products. Besides crossing species, the scientists cross kingdoms, inserting viral and bacterial dna into plants and animals. One can easily imagine prehistoric "activists" bemoaning the dangers of a new, untested technology like fire or the wheel. Things "mutate" naturally over time anyway, right? Whats the harm in helpin the process...

North Dakota is focusing on nations with "transitional" economies, such as Ukraine, which is now seeing substantial direct investment and is in the process of revamping its agricultural sector. It doesn't hurt to have the dollar sinking in value - down almost 9 percent so far this year - and a relatively strong global economy. That's the case in North Dakota, for example, where its trade office has helped the state's foreign exports grow by 87 percent since 2001. It had to improve the...

same with sugar growers in FL and beet growers elsewhere. His unwise and misguided warning to Cuba was troubling for its inference that there might (read: should be) violent upheaval on the island; his effort to push the Cuban people toward that; and his effort to split the country's military. The speech shows how distant Bush remains from understanding Cuba's reality today, and how little leverage the US has to exert a positive influence on the transition well underway. Lots of little...

Frozen pot pies suspected in salmonella outbreak - CNN.com /health Home. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service on Tuesday advised consumers not to eat the pot pies "until we are able to determine the source, products and potential production dates of contamination and to verify proper cooking instructions for these not-ready-to-eat products. By Friday, it had identified the pot pies as a potential source of the salmonella that sickened more than 100 people in...

The farrowing operation has been coming together well and the odor is not as bad as feared, Ivesdal said. The pigs headed to northwestern Iowa, to gain weight before they are sold for slaughter. The company aims to raise pigs from birth to 14 pounds, then ship them to a plant in Remsen, Iowa. Comments are reviewed for taste, tone and language before posting. Edmore business starts shipping out 1,800 pigs a week. Organizers had proposed a 21,000-hog finishing facility. Edmore business...