Biotechnology

Facts About Biotechnology

For almost a century, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and scientists, have used the word biotechnology to describe imminent revolutions based on the application of biology.^[1] From ancient Egyptians using biological processes in wine fermentation to Gregor Mendel cross-breeding garden peas in the mid-1800s, biotechnology has continually evolved to meet the food requirements of populations. In the 1920s, hybridization of seeds, a new discovery in biotechnology, became fundamental to agricultural production. As biotechnology continued to evolve, researchers shifted focus to the gene structures of hybrid plants, paving the way for the biotechnology used today.

Modern biotechnology (more commonly "biotech") is an advanced form of plant breeding where precise genetic changes can be made to improve the crops we plant. Biotechnology allows plant breeders to select or introduce genes into plants that produce beneficial traits like pest resistance. American farmers have rapidly adopted the use of biotech crops because of the benefits they provide for their farms and the environment. However, some consumers and interest groups remain skeptical of the safety and benefits of biotechnology. More than a decade of safe and successful biotech use has put most of these concerns to rest, but biotechnology (or "GMOs") still face some criticism.

Safety of Biotechnology

• Biotech products must be scrutinized and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Products derived from biotechnology are not allowed into the food system until all three agencies have determined that they are as safe as conventional products.^[2]
• Food products made from biotech crops have been available in our food supply since 1996, and not a single negative health effect has resulted from the consumption of biotech products during this time.^[3]
• To date, no food derived from biotech crops has been found to cause new allergies.^[4]
• While biotech traits being added are often new to crops (many are from bacteria and viruses), the same basic types of traits often can be found naturally in most plants. These basic traits, like insect and disease resistance, have allowed plants to survive and evolve over time.^[5]
• Farmers feed their families the same food that consumers eat, which often includes ingredients from biotech crops. They live on the farms where biotech crops are grown. Farmers do this with the peace of mind that the biotech crops they grow are safe for their families and yours.

Benefits of Biotechnology

• The application of biotechnology in agriculture has resulted in benefits to farmers, producers, and consumers. Biotechnology has helped to make both insect control and weed management safer and easier while safeguarding crops against disease.^[6]

• The use of biotech crops that are resistant to pests allowed farmers to reduce pesticide applications by 170 million pounds in 2007 alone.^[7] 
• Crops such as corn, cotton, and potatoes have been successfully transformed through genetic engineering to make a protein that kills certain insects when they feed on the plants^[8]
• Tools like biotech crops and better weed and insect management have enabled farmers to dramatically increase the number of no-till acres. No-till farming reduces soil erosion, fuel use, and carbon emission and improves water quality. Illinois ranks first in the nation in number of no-till acres with 6.7 million under cultivation.^[9]
• Biotech crops reduce CO2 emissions due to decreased deforestation and increased crop yields. Biotech crops prevent the release of 13 billion tons of CO2 per year, and they reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 590 billion metric tons over the latter half of the 20th century.^[10] 
• The use of biotech tools like rbST in dairy herds decreases the carbon footprint of dairy farms and provides for more sustainable production.^[11]
• Researchers are at work to produce hardier crops that will flourish in even the harshest environments and that will require less fuel, labor, fertilizer, and water, helping to decrease the pressures on land and wildlife habitats.^[12]

• The development of "golden rice" would not have been possible without biotechnology. Golden rice is high in beta-carotene, helping to prevent vitamin A deficiency. This deficiency kills millions and causes blindness in children.^[13]

While the facts and figures behind the safety of biotech products are clear, misguided emotional pleas and actions by activist groups, political leaders, and others have caused limited biotech production in some countries, market disruptions, and several product delays. More recently, well respected leaders and organizations have emphasized the safety and urgent need for biotechnology. As Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has stated, "Some people insist on an ideal vision of the environment. They have tried to restrict the spread of biotechnology into sub-Saharan Africa without regard to how much hunger and poverty might be reduced by it."^[14]

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