The Atlantic Food Summit, sponsored in part by the Council for Biotechnology Information, brought together experts on Tuesday, April 26^th, for a panel discussion on the meaning of sustainable agriculture and ways to reconcile different perspectives on agricultural production to feed the world sustainably. Watch the video of the sustainable agriculture panel here (54:00 minute mark).  

Nina Fedoroff, President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest scientific society, pointed out the importance of using all agricultural methods available to feed the world sustainably - including organic, conventional and biotech. She explained that genetically modified crops allow farmers to decrease pesticide applications, soil tilling, water run-off and waste. 

Dr. Fedoroff said two policy reforms that would promote sustainable agriculture include: 1) putting agency authority for biotech product deregulations in a central location, rather than requiring interaction with three separate agencies, to help streamline the biotech product approval process, and 2) reducing costly regulatory barriers. She emphasized that technology is essential for providing enough food to feed the world. “My view is: let’s use the most modern day methods and modern science to increase productivity.”

Molly Jahn, Professor at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, also supported an inclusive agricultural policy. “Every technology that maximizes input and minimizes the environmental burden is critical.” Dr. Jahn and Sarah Alexander from the Keystone Center explained some of the efforts they are spearheading to bring diverse stakeholders to the same table to tackle these challenges, such as the Keystone Center’s Field to Market initiative.

The full panel included:

• Sarah Alexander, Director of the Environment Practice, The Keystone Center
• Nina Fedoroff, President, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Gary Hirshberg, Chief Executive Officer, Stonyfield Farm
• Molly Jahn, Professor at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
• Corby Kummer, Senior Editor at The Atlantic (moderator)

Click here to watch the sustainable agriculture panel discussion and the rest of the food summit.

We’ll be live streaming The Atlantic Food Summit on Tuesday, April 26 from 8:45 AM EST - 3:00 PM EST. The Food Summit is sponsored, in part, by CBI.

Press play for the webcast of the event. The full Food Summit agenda can be found below. You can also follow CBI on Twitter for live updates from the Food Summit @agbiotech.

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We’d love to hear what you think. Please comment below with your thoughts on the Food Summit. For more information, please visit: http://events.theatlantic.com/food-summit/2011/.

Agenda: The Atlantic Food Summit

8:30 am Welcome Remarks
Elizabeth Baker Keffer, President, AtlanticLIVE, and Vice President, The Atlantic
James Borel, Executive Vice President, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company

8:45 am Keynote Remarks: Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture

9:15 am Panel Discussion: Sustainable Agriculture
Moderated by Corby Kummer, Senior Editor, The Atlantic
Featuring:
• Sarah Alexander, Director of the Environment Practice, The Keystone Center
• Nina Fedoroff, President, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Gary Hirshberg, Chief Executive Officer, Stonyfield Farm
• Molly Jahn, Professor at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison

10:15 am Break

10:30 am Keynote Interview: Sam Kass, Assistant Chef, The White House
Interviewed by Corby Kummer, Senior Editor, The Atlantic

10:45 am Panel Discussion: Global Food Safety, Access & Affordability
Moderated by James Gibney, Deputy Managing Editor, The Atlantic
Featuring:
• José Andrés, Chef and Owner, ThinkFoodGroup
• Franz Fischler, Former Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, The European Union
• Jim McGovern, Representative, U.S. House of Representatives

11:45 am Panel Discussion: A Closer Look at Consumer Choice, Nutrition, and Policy
Moderated by Clive Crook, Senior Editor, The Atlantic
Featuring:
• Ezekiel Emanuel, Chair of the Clinical Center Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health
• Jennifer Grossman, Senior Vice President, Dole Nutrition Institute
• Scott Kahan, Co-Director, George Washington University Weight Management Center
• Susan Neely, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Beverage Association

12:45 pm Lunch

1:10 pm Introductory Remarks
Jackson Bain, Vice President of Public Affairs, National Association of Children’s Hospitals

1:15 pm Keynote Interview: Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Food & Drug Administration
Interviewed by Corby Kummer, Senior Editor, The Atlantic

1:45 pm Keynote Interview: Alice Waters, Chef and Owner, Chez Panisse
Interviewed by Corby Kummer, Senior Editor, The Atlantic

2:30 pm Closing Remark

Bangladesh plans Golden Rice field trials to fight vitamin A deficiency

The Daily Star reports that Bangladesh intends to go forward with field tests of Golden Rice, genetically engineered rice that helps fight vitamin A deficiency, which causes blindness in children. With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is applying to import a variety developed in the Philippines that is rich in beta carotene, a source of vitamin A.

According to the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, “Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Globally, approximately 670,000 children die every year and another 350,000 go blind because they are vitamin A deficient,” Read more.

UK scientist recommends GM crops for global food security

Sainsbury Laboratory scientist Jonathan D.G. Jones wrote an article about the widespread misunderstanding of GM crops and the importance of their adoption, ISAAA reports. The article, titled “Why Genetically Modified Crops?”, strongly recommends the use of genetic modification “at a time when we need every tool in the toolbox to ensure adequate food production in the short, medium and long term.” Read more.

GM banana could help prevent spread of fungal disease in East Africa

According to All Africa, a GM banana with improved resistance to a devastating fungal disease could help smallholder farmers in East Africa save their crops. A leaf fungus has spread through the region over the last three decades, threatening to halve fruit production on affected plantations. A team of scientists at Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Institute (NARL) said field trials of GM bananas have shown “promising results.” Read more.   

Want to hear from experts and policy makers on hot topics like food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture? Then mark your calendars for the Atlantic Food Summit on Tuesday, April 26 from 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM EST. The annual summit, this year sponsored in part by CBI, will feature an exciting line-up of speakers who are top experts in agriculture and food production and policy.

USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will give the morning keynote address. Thereafter, Dr. Nina Fedoroff, President of AAAS, the world’s largest scientific society, will participate in a panel discussion on sustainable agriculture.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), who serves as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, and internationally acclaimed chef José Andrés, founder of ThinkFoodGroup, will share their unique insights on the food security, access and affordability panel.  

You can watch the event live on The Atlantic’s website. CBI will also keep you updated with live tweets from the event @agbiotech.

ISAAA releases educational cartoon about GM crops

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) released an educational cartoon designed to enhance understanding of GM crops. Mandy & Fanny: The Future of Sustainable Agriculture is the first educational cartoon of its kind developed by ISAAA to illustrate the rapid adoption of biotech crops and their role in increasing income for farmers worldwide. The educational cartoon publication is authored by Bhagirath Choudhary and Kadambini Gaur, representatives of ISAAA in India, and illustrated by Irfan Khan, a renowned cartoonist in India. Check out the cartoon.

Women farmers in Africa face regulatory hurdles to agricultural technology and training

A BBC News article discusses female farmers in Africa who call on policy makers to increase women’s access to training, science and technology for agriculture.

Women grow as much as 90% of the food in sub-Saharan Africa, yet they have access to just 5% of resources including information, training and farm inputs, which are mostly provided to men. According to Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, a farmer in Zimbabwe, “A major stumbling block is the lack of cohesion and communication, between the policy makers in the relevant government departments.” Read more.