When contemplating the role of biotechnology-derived crops today, Isobel Coleman, Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, asks readers to consider the rapidly increasing world population.  By 2050, she says, the world “will likely have another two billion mouths to feed and face an estimated 70% increase in global food demand.” In order to meet the needs of future generations, new agricultural technologies must be implemented. Coleman concludes that a variety of tactics should be used to boost agricultural production, adding that “we would be remiss if we do not include GM crops in the toolkit.”

Coleman reaffirms that there is ample scientific evidence supporting the safety of biotech crops, noting that “years of studies have not demonstrated any harmful effects.” The most recent addition to this body of research includes a 2010 report from the European Commission, which summarized a decade of large-scale, government-funded studies. Read more.