Issues

Safety of Biotech Foods

Biotech crops are among the most extensively tested, well characterized, and regulated food, feed and fiber products ever developed. All commercial biotech crops have been thoroughly assessed for human and animal health and environmental safety according to well established, international accepted, scientific standards and guidelines by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, where the plant provides protection from pests, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Scientific and regulatory authorities throughout the world have found that the crops, feed, and food produced under these standards and guidelines are as wholesome, nutritious, and safe as conventional feed and food crops. The international scientific community, including the US National Academy of Sciences, World Health Organization, and American Medical Association have all examined the health and environmental safety of biotech crops and concluded that biotech crops pose no more risk than crops produced through traditional crop breeding methods. After nearly two decades of extensive governmental, academic and industry oversight, not a single instance of actual harm to health, safety or the environment has ever been confirmed for any biotech crop placed on the market.

Biotechnology & Biofuels

Biotechnology plays an active role in improving the productivity and efficacy of biofuel production. New biocatalysts are being developed to break down plant material and researchers are using biotechnology to improve the efficacy of corn starch conversion. Biocatalyst development moves us closer to large scale adoption of ethanol production using cellulosic material. Imagine the leap forward in renewable fuel when we can use feedstocks like cereal straw, grasses and other non-food portions of plants to produce ethanol.

Moving forward the development of enzymes, yeasts and bacteria through biotechnology will greatly influence ethanol production—we are rapidly approaching a time where we will be able to produce ethanol from any organic matter. A study by McKinsey & Co. proved that there is enough cellulosic feedstock to replace 50% of transportation fuels by the middle of this century without negatively impacting food availability.

It’s no secret that biotechnology has boosted crop yields, but did you know that since the introduction of biotech corn in 1996, corn yields have increased 33.1%? Better yield means more corn available for both food and fuel.

The resulting annual yield increase from biotech corn would have allowed for the production of an extra 366 million gallons of ethanol.

By harnessing nature’s unique ability to make biocatalysts, industrial biotech can now be employed to convert previously unusable agricultural waste products to energy and biodegradable products. This new technology allows the chemical and biotech industries to produce these products from renewable resources from almost anything that grows, thereby reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, cleaning the environment, and increasing economic development in rural areas.

Biotechnology & Biodiversity

University researchers have shown that biotech crops do not threaten beneficial insects and animals, including butterflies. The Bt proteins used in biotech crops are only effective against specific pests and are often the same natural pesticides used by organic producers. Researchers have shown that Bt proteins do not accumulate in the environment, nor harm soil ecology and fertility. Based on published studies, Bt proteins from Bt crops degrade rapidly in soil and do not negatively impact soil organisms. An overwhelming majority of experts agree that biotech crops are good for the environment because they resist pest and herbicides naturally and allow farmers to reduce their use of pesticides. In 2008, the National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy estimated that in US agriculture, pesticide applications on mainland farms dropped by 110 million pounds per year.

International Acceptance of Biotech Crops

Jimmy Carter said, “Responsible biotechnology is not the enemy. Starvation is.” Today, developing countries are the greatest beneficiaries of biotech crops because it’s being used to feed their nations. Currently, more than 12 million farmers are growing biotech crops—an increase from 10.3 million in 2006. Of those farmers, 11 million, or 90%, are resource-poor farmers from developing countries. With a global population of 6.5 billion people, 55% or 3.6 billion live in 23 countries growing biotech crops. With 9 billion people expected to populate the planet by 2040 and 85 percent living in lesser developed countries, decreased land for agriculture and multiple demands on water use will stress the world’s ability to address food security and poverty. Although biotechnology on its own cannot solve the world food crisis, leaders of the industrialized nations recognize that genetic engineering offers valuable tools to increase crop productivity and provide more healthful food around the globe.

Food Versus Fuel

There is no shortage of food crops. In fact, 92.9 million acres of corn were planted in 2007—26% of which will go to ethanol production according to the USDA. This leaves more than 9 billion bushels for the remaining markets easily meeting or exceeding the 2006 demand.

Food prices increased 5.1% between May 2007 and May 2008 while energy prices soared 17.8% during the same period. Although ethanol is often accused of increasing food prices the soaring cost of energy is the more likely culprit. Interruption of oil supplies and weather related issues also contributed to the increase.