Citrus greening, the plague that could wipe out Florida's $9 billion orange industry, begins with the touch of a jumpy brown bug on a sun-kissed leaf.

The company said it lost $90 million after corn grown from genetically modified Syngenta seed was refused by China.

After efforts to label genetically modified food have failed in most states, there’s reason to think things will go differently in November in Oregon and possibly Colorado.

Agriculture experts raised a number of concerns with genetically modified crops, including safety and spreading weed resistance, at the first public meeting of a U.S. government sponsored study of genetically engineered crops held Monday.

Monsanto has reached a settlement with wheat farmers in the Pacific Northwest in a lawsuit over genetically modified wheat. But plaintiffs in the Midwest and other parts of the country are still in negotiations.

Mark Retzloff, a natural foods veteran who twice co-founded Alfalfa’s Market, has stepped down as the company’s CEO and chairman, Alfalfa’s said Monday.

James Searcy, a board member for the Boulder, Colo.-based natural foods chain, will take over as CEO and chairman on an interim basis. Retzloff will remain involved with Alfalfa’s as a member of the company’s board of directors and shareholder, the company said.

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“We appreciate all that Mark has contributed in his leadership of Alfalfa’s, and are pleased to have his continued oversight and guidance as a board member,” Searcy said in a statement. “We have a strong management team in place, with a great depth of natural and organic retail experience. This group is committed to do what is best for our customers and our community, and to bring the highest quality organic, natural and GMO-free products to Boulder County.”

Food has become a battleground, and one of the fiercest fights involves genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. With the aid of genetic engineering, we have created corn, soybeans, cotton and other crops with specific genes that help them resist pests, diseases and herbicides. Supporters trumpet the reduced costs and increased yields, especially in the developing world. They also point to the ability of GMOs to prevent diseases from ruining entire industries, such as Hawaiian papayas and Florida oranges.

As many as 50 people could attend the monarch butterfly tagging event on Saturday in Moraine State Park. Yet the group will be lucky if it tags a single one, park officials say.

Starbucks customers and activists came out to participate in a demonstration calling on the company to stop sourcing milk from cows fed genetically modified crops. GMO Inside, a campaign led by Green America, a national consumer advocacy group, held this demonstration as part of a national campaign to increase awareness and visibility around the issue of genetically modified crops used for animal feed. “Starbucks is a global company that purchases a substantial amount of milk each year and is in a position to trigger shifts in the dairy supply chain,” said Green America Food Campaigns Director Nicole McCann. “By supporting conventional dairy operations, Starbucks is lending power to a destructive food system fueled by GMOs, factory farms, and pesticides that are devastating for human, animal, pollinator, and environmental health. We know Starbucks can do better, and their customers want this.”

Starbucks customers and activists came out to participate in a demonstration calling on the company to stop sourcing milk from cows fed genetically modified crops. GMO Inside, a campaign led by Green America, a national consumer advocacy group, held this demonstration as part of a national campaign to increase awareness and visibility around the issue of genetically modified crops used for animal feed.