In the the days following the story published on this blog — Latter-day Luther Nails Troubling Thesis to GM Farm & Food Citadels) — the national press has demonstrated re-vitalized interest in the controversy surrounding Dr. Don M. Huber and his hypotheses on Genetically Modified (GM) crops and the herbicide glyphosate used in conjunction with those crops.

AP sent out a story primarily focused on critics of Don M. Huber, Ph.D. and his hypotheses about how genetically modified crops and  glyphosate may be causing a critically problematic pathogen to spread through the food chain, resulting in heath problems for plants, animals, and people.

Los Angeles Times reporter P.J. Huffstutter offered a balanced, comprehensive, insightful report today on this  controversy in an article headlined: Plant Disease Raises Questions on Modified Crops.  The Times reported: “Though the science behind Huber’s claims is far from settled — and Huber has refused to make public any evidence of his claims — his letter has intensified the battle between those who believe technology is the only way to feed a ballooning global population and those who are increasingly fearful that biotechnology is resulting in food that is nutritionally lacking and environmentally dangerous.

The Idaho Statesman also weighed in on the subject today. Huber told the paper that the soil and pathogen data his critics are seeking is being prepared for publication. It will be presented for wide-open scientific scrutiny “within a very few months,” the paper quoted Huber as saying.

Meanwhile, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), arguing that the agency’s recent unrestricted approval of genetically engineered (GE), “Roundup Ready” Alfalfa was unlawful.  The GE crop is engineered to be immune to the herbicide glyphosate, which Monsanto markets as Roundup. The plaintiffs include a diverse coalition of conventional and organic farmers, dairies and agricultural associations, and environmental and consumer groups.

A new paper published in Environmental Sciences Europe reviews 19 studies of mammals fed GM soybean and corn as well as raw data from another one on rats. The paper comes to a red-flag conclusion: GM crops disrupt animals’ livers & kidneys. More independent study is needed, the paper argues.