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The Fight Over The Future Of Food


At first glance, Giuseppe Oglio's farm near Milan looks like it's suffering from neglect. Weeds run rampant amid the rice fields and clover grows unchecked around his millet crop.

Oglio, a third generation farmer eschews modern farming techniques -- chemicals, fertilizers, heavy machinery -- in favor of a purely natural approach. It is not just ecological, he says, but profitable, and he believes his system can be replicated in starving regions of the globe.

Nearly 5,000 miles away, in laboratories in St. Louis, Missouri, hundreds of scientists at the world's biggest seed company, Monsanto, also want to feed the world, only their tools of choice are laser beams and petri dishes.

Monsanto, a leader in agricultural biotechnology, spends about $2 million a day on scientific research that aims to improve on Mother Nature, and is positioning itself as a key player in the fight against hunger.

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Canadian Seed Policy Modernization: An Interview With Lauren Comin of Seeds Canada

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Seeds Canada’s Lauren Comin says agriculture is at a crossroads — and the seed sector has a rare chance to push bold reforms. Her message: farmers don’t need buzzwords, they need faster, cheaper access to innovation, and the window to act is now. Policy doesn't have to be boring. In this far-reaching conversation, Lauren Comin, Director of Policy at Seeds Canada, talks innovation, transformation, and what to expect from regulatory policy in the coming year. Full interview available on SW360. Policy is at the heart of the industry, and Lauren Comin, Director of Policy at Seeds Canada, is on the forefront. Hear her thoughts on current trends, how she’s pushing for innovation, and why the seed industry is at a crossroads in this far-reaching interview