Scott Swenson, chairman of the National Association of Wheat Growers/U.S. Wheat Associates Joint Biotechnology Committee, writes a guest blog discussing the benefits of biotechnology for producers and consumers. He will participate in the media breakfast panel, “WINNING THE FUTURE:  Does U.S. Ag Policy Support or Discourage Innovation?” at the 2011 BIO International Convention.

By Scott Swenson

Did you know that biotechnology in plants saves fuel and machinery usage by eliminating passes in a field?  It also reduces the possibility of water and soil contamination by making environmentally safe chemicals more effective. Some of the biotech crops currently being developed will require less nitrogen fertilizer and less water, and will make plants resistant to cold and drought. This means less resources required for crops and far more environmental benefits.

I truly believe that if the general public understood these benefits and the scientifically-proven safety of biotechnology, producers and consumers of more crops would be able to reap these advantages.

I grow wheat, corn and soybeans in west-central Minnesota. Over the years, I’ve seen a tremendous shift from wheat to corn in my area because of the benefits biotech provides for farmers. As farmers, we are businesspeople who make decisions about what to grow based on short-term profitability and how the crop will affect the land for years to come.

Thirty years ago, I grew mostly wheat, but now it is only less than 1/6 of my acreage. I really want to keep wheat in my rotation and viable on my farm. Unfortunately, wheat has not yet had the opportunity to benefit from biotech traits that could make it more hardy and more productive.

I think it is important for everyone to understand the benefits provided by biotechnology in plants. It is easy to scare the public with words like “Frankenfood”, but the true scientific story seems to be left behind in favor of attention-grabbing media sound bites.

The process of changing plants to incorporate more favorable traits is centuries old, and one modern way of doing this, through biotechnology, is carefully scrutinized by the scientific community as well as government agencies whose jobs are to protect citizens and the environment. Once a biotech plant has been approved, it allows farmers to produce a safe and secure food supply while using far less chemicals, fuel and, someday soon, water.

President Obama recently called on the American citizens to “win the future” through science and technology. Biotech crops are obvious winners, reducing energy and water consumption, reducing environmental impacts and helping us farmers provide a safe and plentiful food supply.

So I’m excited about telling wheat’s story and in the process, introducing the public to “greenfood” - made possible through both science and technology!

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.

Scientist researching drought resistant wheat

According to NPR, scientists are researching ways to engineer wheat so it can thrive even when water is scarce. A drought impacting Russia this summer pushed wheat prices to their highest in years, underscoring the importance for a variety of wheat that can survive in droughts. In addition to wheat, scientists and researchers have already engineered drought-tolerant maize, and it could be sold commercially in just two years based on the regulatory process. Listen here.

Countries in Africa and Asia have much to gain economically from adopting GM crops

Biofortified posted a piece about a paper by Kym Anderson in New Biotechnology that shows that the potential economic benefits for those countries in Africa and Asia willing to adopt genetically modified (GM) crop varieties can be great.  However, the countries would not gain economically under this model if they ban imports of GM crops.  Read more.

Argentine Farmer writes that biotechnology is about human rights and eradicating hunger

Global Farmer-to-Farmer Roundtable participant Roberto Peiretti penned a piece about what he labels as “gene-ocide,” negatively portraying genetically modified crops without sound science.  Roberto has always supported environmentally responsible agriculture and has committed to no-till agriculture for many years. He writes, “Biotechnology and its synergy with no-till agriculture have the potential to improve nutrition and feed a growing world by boosting agricultural productivity and profitability in a sustainable fashion. This is a synergy we need if we are going to succeed in doubling global agricultural production during the next thirty to fifty years.” Read more.

Want to learn more about ag biotech? Check out the stories below to read the news we thought was important this week!

 Supreme Court lifts the ban on GM Alfalfa Seeds

The Supreme Court decided to overturn a lower court’s ban on planting genetically modified alfalfa seeds on Monday, a sweeping victory for Monsanto Co. in what was the first ruling by the Supreme Court over genetically modified organism (GMO) crops. The ruling, a 7-1 decision, allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider a partial deregulation of alfalfa during the time when USDA is completing its Environmental Impact Statement, which is necessary before full deregulation of the genetically engineered alfalfa at issue in the case can occur.

 Expert says Australia should focus on wheat breeding technologies, including GM Wheat

At an International Grains Council Conference, Peter Reading, managing director of Australia’s Grains Research and Development Corporation said that Australia should focus its energies on wheat breeding technologies, including GM wheat, in order to address the decline rates in Australia’s wheat productivity growth.  However, GM wheat is not expected to be available for another ten years.

 Lack of communication between scientists and public, Jia Hepeng says

In a piece Thursday on how well scientists inform the public about food safety, Jia Hepeng said that China’s conflict over genetically modified crops can only be resolved through improved communication between scientists and the public. Citing events such as the Ministry of Agriculture’s announcement that it had issued biosafety licenses to two pest-resistant rice varieties and one phystaze maize, Hepeng calls for more refined, reader-friendly ways of presenting ongoing research on GM crops and better systems for decision-making, regulation, and monitoring.

Jim McCarthy, an Irish farmer and a participant in the Truth About Trade & Technology’s Global Farmer-to-Farmer Roundtable at the 2009 World Food Prize Symposium, penned an op-ed for Forbes.com about the importance of access to biotechnology for farmers worldwide.

Mr. McCarthy farms in Ireland and Argentina and grows wheat, corn and soybeans. He finds that the restrictive anti-biotech laws in Ireland contradict our need to grow more food on less land in order to meet the demands of a growing population.

According to Mr. McCarthy, “Europe must do its part to produce more and use its influence, especially in Africa, to encourage biotechnology. The policy of refusing to take GM crops seriously sets us up for an awful tragedy.”

Read more of Jim McCarthy’s piece here and please comment with your thoughts.