In writing about the pro-biotech speech by British environmental activist Mark Lynas, during which he publicly apologized for years of anti-biotech activities, Canadian commentator Margaret Wente says the tremendous stir it caused may mark a turning of the tide of public opinion.
“People are hungry to hear from a new generation of environmental moderates who value science and pragmatism over ideology and absolutes,” Wente wrote in her column in The Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest national newspaper. “They want to hear from those like Mr. Lynas, who think technology can be a force for good, and want to find practical approaches to environmental problems.”
Lynas himself sees a shift in opinion, Ms. Wente wrote, quoting him from an interview.
“Something has moved in the terms of this debate,” she quoted Lynas as saying. “It’s like the cresting of a wave. It’s as if everyone has simultaneously realized that the anti-GM movement doesn’t actually have anything backing it up,” he said. READ MORE »
While innovation is recognized as an important element for America’s manufacturing and information technology sectors, it also plays a critical role in advancing U.S. agriculture and making our farmers the most productive in the world. This was the theme of Agriculture: Growing Innovation & Opportunities, a conference hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today in Washington.
Conference speakers cited several innovations in agriculture that enable farmers to grow more food on less land, with fewer inputs and a smaller environmental footprint. These include better soil management practices, improved water conservation methods, the use of GPS technology and other smart applications, better nutrient management systems, and the development, maturation and utilization of agriculture biotechnology crops.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said innovations in crop genetics helped farmers cope with last summer’s drought. “We just suffered through the most serious drought that this country has faced since the 1930s. Had we faced this drought without seed genetics, we would have seen serious crop losses. We still had a corn crop ranked in the top 10 in productivity in U.S. history. And it’s a result of seed genetics and innovation. And it’s a result of farmers embracing new planting technologies that allow us to preserve and conserve water resources and still maintain and provide a crop,” he said. READ MORE »
Reports released this month by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirm the safety of biotech corn and soybean varieties. The reports add to a long line of scientific findings that affirm the safety of food and feed made from biotech crops.
The EFSA, which provides independent scientific advice to the European Union, determined the biotech crops are as healthy and environmentally friendly as the conventional varieties of corn and soybeans.
The University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment produced an excellent video that asks the big question “how will we feed a growing population without destroying the planet?” The video shares some sobering facts that underline the enormity of the challenges before us, but also provides solutions and ideas on ways to improve agricultural productivity.
UMN Institute on the Environment Director Jonathan Foley wrote a piece that corresponds with the video and discusses “the other” inconvenient truth: “a global crisis in land use and agriculture that could undermine the health, security and sustainability of our civilization.”
You can watch the video below and also find it on the Institute’s site. You can read Mr. Foley’s piece here.
Hilary Benn, Britain’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced Britain’s new food strategy in a report, Food 2030, at the annual Oxford Farming Conference (Jan 4-6, 2010). The strategy unveils a national 20-year food-security manifesto aimed at improving the environmental and economic impact of food production.
The report supports crop technology, stating that science will be very important in developing crops that are less dependent on water, fertilizer or chemicals. Furthermore, the policy was created with the belief that “agriculture needs to produce more food, and impact less.”
In the report’s introduction British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says, “We need to produce more food without damaging the natural resources – air, soil, water and marine resources, biodiversity and climate – that we all depend on. We need to feed more people globally.”
This groundbreaking report from the UK represents an increasing number of countries that are supporting science like agricultural biotechnology because of its environmental and economic benefits.
You can read the full report here and learn more about the report’s impact in this article in The Globe and Mail.
Hilary Benn, Britain’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced Britain’s new food strategy in a report, Food 2030, at the annual Oxford Farming Conference (Jan 4-6, 2010). The strategy unveils a national 20-year food-security manifesto aimed at improving the environmental and economic impact of food production.