A new educational resource on agricultural biotechnology has been released by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. “Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding, 3rd Edition,” will provide health professionals and food and nutrition stakeholders with tools to help them communicate about the science and benefits of food biotech.

“Whether it is to provide an overview of the science or respond to a media inquiry, the guide provides communicators with key facts and resources on food biotechnology to help tailor the message to the specific audience,” IFIC said.

The guide includes key messages and a menu of science-based supporting points on food biotechnology as it relates to food safety, consumer benefits, sustainability, and feeding the world; ready-made handouts that can be shared with audiences; and guidelines for working effectively with journalists and bloggers on food biotechnology stories.

The new version reflects the latest developments in food biotechnology research, regulation, and product availability, as well as new consumer insights and changing communications methods, most notably the advent of online media.

An electronic version of the full guide and PDF files of the individual chapters are available here. The PowerPoint slides are also available on the homepage of www.whybiotech.com.

According to physicians interviewed by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, biotechnology contributes to a safe, nutritious and more abundant food supply. Their insights shed light on issues important to consumers today, including food labeling, food security and sustainable agriculture.

On the topic of food labeling, Dr. Laurie Green, an obstetrician-gynecologist in San Francisco, California, points out that labels on foods containing genetically modified (GM) ingredients could be confusing to consumers. “It’s much more important to label items that might truly cause harm than [genetically modified] foods that have been used for 20 years in 29 countries and consumed by millions and millions of people,” she said.

Dr. Green also discussed the benefits of biotechnology for sustainable agriculture. “Biotechnology has led to foods that require less pesticides, fewer herbicides, and even combat viruses that damage crops, so overall these methodologies have so improved the quality of our environment and the quality of our food supply,” she said.

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Ambassador William Garvelink says biotech is important for world food security

Ambassador William Garvelink said in an interview with USAID’s publication Frontlines, “Genetically modified food, which is a little controversial in Europe and other places, is an important technology that will have to be used in the future to produce the amount of food the world’s populations will require.”

Ambassador Garvelink helped USAID to lead Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative to reduce hunger and malnutrition, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Read more.

Scientist explains biotech contributions to sustainable agriculture

Dr. Terry Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Animal Nutrition for the Department of Dairy and Animal Science at Penn State University, discusses the importance of biotechnology for food production sustainability in the blog, Food Insight.

He explains, the “use of biotechnology has many benefits for agriculture that range from environmental to improved production efficiency.” Read more.