The New Dark Age

A reminder that the High Court has confirmed that Beyond GM’s challenge to the Government’s deregulation of genetically modified “precision bred” organisms in food and farming will be heard at a rolled-up hearing over 12-13 May. This means the Court will consider, in one hearing, both whether the case should proceed and the substance of the legal arguments themselves. The hearing will be open to the public. Beyond GM says: “If you are in London and would like to attend for all or part of it, you are welcome. The proceedings are formal and the advocacy is technical, but there is something powerful about simply bearing witness. The courtroom number will be posted here, closer to the hearing date, under the London Administrative Court option.” GMWatch will be there! Beyond GM

Amid rising concerns over recurring problems with GMO Bt cotton, Punjab’s Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian urged farmers to adopt a new indigenous non-GMO variety, directing officials to actively promote it. The Tribune India

Despite a history dating back to the dawn of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent, Lebanon’s agricultural heritage faces an existential threat today from the proposed “Seed, Seedlings, and Propagation Material Regulation Law”. Amid a suffocating economic crisis and severe food insecurity affecting nearly 1.17 million people, this draft law threatens to exacerbate the situation rather than resolve it. Formulated in cooperation with foreign entities and without consulting farmers, it represents a radical shift aimed at commodifying and privatising seeds. This threatens to dismantle thousands of years of agricultural traditions, instituting a system that traps farmers in a cycle of “seed slavery” and converts the national vital heritage into a monopoly-controlled commodity. Agricultural Movement in Lebanon

For two decades, Nick Pehle’s grapes have filled glasses at wineries across Missouri. Most seasons, the vines on his 20-acre farm in Etlah are clustered with different cultivars. Last year was different. In May, before the vines could bloom, their leaves started curling into the shape of small bowls. When the fruit did grow, much of it stayed green, never ripening to full maturity. Pehle’s harvest was lighter than past seasons — by about 40 tons. Compared to previous years, his crop was reduced by almost half and his profit by around $50,000. Pehle doesn’t know exactly what caused his fruit to die. But the symptoms point to pesticide drift. Dicamba is sprayed on GM crops engineered to tolerate the chemical – but the herbicides drift off-target, killing and injuring other crops. In February, the EPA reapproved the use of dicamba for the 2026 growing season. Arkansas Times

In late 2025, beekeepers in Uruguay began reporting that their bees were dying. Some 15,000 hives and more than 85 beekeepers were reportedly affected. Jihmy Fiorelli, president of the Uruguayan Beekeeping Society, says this could be less than the reality: “That figure could double, as many beekeepers did not want to report it out of fear.” Typically renting space from landowners, apiarists fear being evicted for complaining. Those complaints would be aimed at farming methods: in Uruguay, beekeepers set up their hives in soy, maize and rapeseed fields. The variety of flowers and the fertility of the soil on these farms aid steady honey production.[GMW comment: GMO maize, soy and canola are widely grown in Uruguay.] Dialogue Earth

A new report from the Center for Food Safety reveals that 125 pesticides approved by the EPA and still approved for active use have been classified as possible or likely human carcinogens. The EPA does not require carcinogen warnings to be included on pesticide labels, and several approved pesticides exceed the agency’s own benchmark for the maximum limit of cancer risk. A concerning example is glyphosate, one of the most common home herbicides and a pesticide that’s been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “It’s bad enough that the EPA approves cancer-causing pesticides,” Bill Freese, science director at the CFS, said. “But if the agency is going to allow such chemicals to be freely sold at Home Depot, Walmart, and farm supply stores, the very least the EPA must do is require a clear cancer warning on the label.” Aol.com

We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. It was made possible by GMWatch supporters. To become one, please support our work with a one-off or regular donation – and invite your friends to sign up to our newsletters. Thank you!