When considering its version of the Farm Bill, the US House of Representatives should oppose measures that would require labels for foods containing biotech ingredients, North Dakota State Senator Terry Wanzek wrote in an editorial featured in Truth about Trade & Technology.

He pointed out that labeling regulations for genetically modified (GM) foods would lead to higher food costs and added confusion while offering virtually no benefits to consumers.

“The labels wouldn’t make food safer because biotech ingredients are already 100-percent safe, as the federal government and groups ranging from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to the American Medical Association have determined. The labels simply would convey information that consumers don’t need, while also making our grocery-store bills rise.” Read more.

The fast pace of population growth and high consumption behaviors make it necessary to double global food production by 2050. A presentation at the 2012 Greenbiz Forum discusses the importance of increasing crop yields without using more natural resources.

Jon Foley, Director of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Minnesota, points out in the presentation that improving resource efficiency through using less land and water “could add 50 to 60 percent more food to the world with almost no impact on the environment.” Other experts have noted that biotechnology has the ability to boost the amount of food production per acre while better managing water resources, particularly in the face of drought or water shortages. Read more.