The U.S. Department of Agriculture turns 150 years old in May, having been created by Congress and President Lincoln in 1862. Leaders of the agricultural community are pointing to biotechnology as a continuation of the scientific approach to agriculture that USDA has promoted from the beginning.

In a recent column, American Farm Bureau Federation President and CEO Bob Stallman outlined the history and continuity of USDA’s mission:

“On May 15, 1862, President Lincoln signed into law a bill establishing a new Department of Agriculture, which was specifically directed to acquire information through ‘practical and scientific experiments’ and to collect and propagate ‘new and valuable seeds and plants’ and distribute these to the nation’s agriculturists,” Stallman wrote.  READ MORE »

White House seeks expert input to create jobs through biotech innovations

To grow the economy and create jobs, The White House is seeking input from the biotech industry and research communities for a new initiative: National Bioeconomy Blueprint, GenomeWeb Daily News reports.

“Once unveiled, the National Bioeconomy Blueprint can leverage investments across the country in biotechnology research and development to create jobs and spur biological innovation on a grand scale,” said Jim Greenwood, the CEO of BIO. Read more.  

Australian business groups call for lifting the ban on GM crops

According to Food Magazine, A South Australian business group calls for the ban on genetically modified (GM) crops to be lifted for the sake of the food industry.

Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said, “Genetically modified crops have overcome many of the challenging conditions faced by growers, and an extensive trial would address the issues, concerns and benefits.” Read more.

WSJ op-ed: Nestle’s Chairman says biotech is essential for global food security

In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, chairman of Nestlé Peter Brabeck-Letmathe says Europe’s refusal to use biotechnology “has halted the multi-decade rise in agricultural productivity that has allowed us, so far, to feed more mouths than many people believed was possible.” Read more.  

Scientists point out EPA proposed regulatory burdens are obstacle to innovation

The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB Journal) published an article by Dr. Nina Fedoroff and Dr. Bruce Chassy which says the EPA’s proposal to expand regulatory burdens would create obstacles to scientific innovation.

“A further increase in the regulatory burden would impose steep barriers to scientific innovation and product development across all sectors of our economy and would not only fail to enhance safety, but would be likely to prolong reliance on less safe and obsolete practices.” Read more.

Prominent food industry expert condemns attacks on GM papayas in Hawaii

Perishable Pundit, an online publication by the prominent food industry author and news commentator Jim Prevor, calls the devastation caused by attacks on papayas in Hawaii “unacceptable.” His article features an interview with Delan Perry from the Hawaii Papaya Association, who points out the need for GM papaya varieties to fight plant disease.  Read more.

The scientific, economic and social benefits of biotechnology are clear, yet government regulations continue to stifle new biotech innovations  that will help our economy grow. Dr. Nina Fedoroff, former science and technology advisor for the U.S. State Department and professor of biology at Pennsylvania State University, emphasized this in a New York Times op-ed article about the safety and efficacy of biotech crops.

She points out GM crops lower costs for farmers by producing higher yields on less land, while also benefiting the environment with reduced pesticide use and tilling. These advances are particularly important to help feed a quickly growing world population, but because of complicated regulatory hurdles there are only a handful of varieties of approved biotech crops. Dr. Fedoroff sums it up and writes, “It is time to relieve the regulatory burden slowing down the development of genetically modified crops. ” Read more.

TIME: biotech seeds improve productivity of US farming

TIME discusses the contributions of US agriculture to fueling economic growth, noting that biotech seeds help the environment and improve crop yields.  

The article points out, “a number of innovations have made U.S. farmers significantly more productive than they were just two decades ago. Bioengineered seeds mean they can use smaller amounts of pesticides and water.” Read more.

Wall Street Journal: Chinese companies investing in biotech

According to the Wall Street Journal, a large Chinese seed producer plans to expand its development of agricultural biotechnology to help feed the world’s most populous nation. This is “an important sign of China’s growing appetite for U.S. crops and biotechnology.” Read more.