National Geographic: GM crops improve food productivity and help feed the world

 The July 2011 issue of National Geographic discusses the role of genetically modified crops in increasing food productivity and meeting hunger needs around the world. Read more.

 Kenya plans to release first GM cotton crop

Business Daily, a Kenyan publication, says the country will release seeds for its first genetically modified cotton crop in 2014. The article says the technology will benefit farmers because it will double yields and is part of the government’s efforts to increase the value of small-scale farming and to mitigate rural poverty. Read more.

Biotechnology becoming more widely adopted globally

According to Pioneer Press, biotechnology is becoming more widely adopted around the world and “it has made crop farming easier” and more competitive. Read more.

Bolivian farmers welcome government decision to allow GM crops

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Bolivian farmers suffering harsh weather conditions are calling on the government to remove export restrictions on corn, wheat, soybeans and other staple foods. The article points out that farmers welcomed President Evo Morales’s decision to sign a bill allowing the introduction of most genetically modified (GM) crops. Read more.

Forbes blog: Federal Government regulations are inhibiting technology innovations

A Forbes blog says the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should reduce burdensome regulations for ag biotech crops. Dr. Henry Miller, Robert Wesson Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and former Founding Director of the Office of Biotechnology at the FDA, points out that bureaucratic hurdles have “inhibited research and development.”  Read more.

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.

Indian farmer says biotech crops contribute to agricultural productivity

In a Wall Street Journal online forum to debate the impact of GM crops in India, an Indian farmer said GM crops have “undoubtedly” improved agricultural productivity. Vanchinathan Ravichandran grows biotech cotton, which he says occupies 90% of cotton cultivation since the technology was approved in 2002. He urges policy makers to remove bans on other biotech crops: “We need crops with improved traits such as drought tolerance, submergence tolerance, salinity resistance and so on.” He adds, “When Genetically Modified crops can provide answers to these issues, why deprive us of the opportunity to benefit from science and technology?” Read more.

GM crops could help Zimbabwe achieve food security

News Day, a Zimbabwe publication, said the country should be more open to GM technology to help meet the challenge of food security. The article points out Zimbabwean farmers need the technology to produce more crops on less land. “The Western world is flourishing because of GM food. But then why is GM technology shunned in Zimbabwe?” Read more.

Dr. Pamela Ronald discusses benefits of GM crops at New Zealand lecture

Dr. Pamela Ronald, Professor of Plant Pathology at UC-Davis and author of Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food, posted a blog on the benefits of GM crops and the negative impact of regulatory hurdles in New Zealand. Dr. Ronald discussed her lecture at the Royal Society in Wellington, New Zealand, where she made the point that GM crops have “enhanced [the] goals of sustainable agriculture.” Read more.

Research on GM wheat could improve yields and drought tolerance

The New York Times reports that GM research by private companies could lead to drought-tolerant and high-yield genetically modified wheat. Research focuses on “strengthening the rooting structure of wheat, enhancing the intake of water, increasing the plant’s biomass and facilitating CO2 absorption.” Read more.

Increasing number of African countries conducting GM crop trials

According to Reuters, more African countries are likely to start growing genetically modified crops. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mali, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana are conducting research and field trials of GM crops such as rice, wheat and sorghum, which may lead to their adoption. Ephraim Mukisira, a director at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, said, “We should rely on biotechnology to prevent further losses in yields and performance of crops. We need to expedite scientific methods that reduce time needed to develop new crop varieties.” Read more.

Forbes blog: Regulation of GM crops hurts agricultural trade

In a Forbes blog, Dr. Henry Miller, founding director of the Office of Biotechnology at the FDA and current fellow at the Hoover Institution, says that “discriminatory” government regulations of genetically modified crops around the world have unintended economic consequences, such as disrupting billions of dollars of agricultural trade in export markets. 

“The best and most definitive solution of all would be for the harmonization of regulatory approaches in order to eliminate the existing discrimination against and excessive regulation of innocuous genetically engineered plants.” Read more.