2005: A Year of Success for Plant and Animal Biotechnology


"Significant achievements were made in the adoption and acceptance
of agricultural biotechnology for improved crops and animals in
2005," said Sean Darragh, executive vice president of the
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).

"A major milestone was reached in May when the one billionth
acre of biotech crops was sown capping a decade of plantings in 18
countries around the globe," added Darragh. He also pointed out
that more than 90 percent of the 8 million farmers growing biotech
crops were located in developing nations.

"While the first generation of plant biotech products directly
benefited farmers and the environment, the next generation of plant
biotech research is focused on providing consumer benefits,
including the development of biotech plants that offer increased
nutrition and health benefits," said Darragh.

In addition to record acceptance by farmers, scientists
continued to increase their understanding and knowledge of plants
and animals through genome sequencing projects. In 2005, the rice
and dog genomes were mapped, and projects to sequence soybean, corn,
and sheep genomes were announced.

Researchers use these genetic maps to improve the nutrient quality
of food
crops and strengthen plants' abilities to resist drought conditions,
insect
infestation and plant disease. In addition, by understanding the
makeup of
animals at a cellular level, scientists can develop leaner and more
nutritious
dairy and meat products, as well as help animals to live healthier
lives.
An example of the importance of developing nutrient-enhanced
biotech
plants, especially for developing countries, were $36.8 million in
grants to
research projects focused on improving nutrition and health through
biotech-
improved bananas, cassava, rice, and sorghum by the Bill and Melinda
Gates
Foundation.
2005 also saw other important biotech developments with consumer
benefits
including:

* Kellogg announced it will use low-linolenic soybean oil to
reduce or
eliminate trans fats in several of its products; though the
soybeans
were produced through conventional breeding techniques, they
do contain
biotech traits and are the first products in the next
generation of
biotech products with consumer benefits.

* Australian researchers developed a biotech improved cress that
contains
healthy omega-3 oils in their seeds. Omega-3 oils are known
to help
reduce the risk of heart disease.

* Research into edible vaccines continued with the development
of a
biotech potato that carries the Hepatitis B vaccine, and a
biotech
tomato containing a SARS vaccine. Initial tests in human
subjects have
shown that the biotech potato confers immunity against
Hepatitis B.
Japanese scientists also announced the development of an
edible vaccine
in biotech rice that prevents the immune response that triggers
allergies related to hay fever.

* Japanese researchers developed a biotech soybean that contains
a
substance that promotes hair growth and helps prevent hair
loss caused
by chemotherapy. An antihypertensive substance derived from
egg whites
was incorporated into the soybean; the substance expands blood
vessels
and promotes circulation and hair growth.

There were also advances in animal biotechnology research which
will lead
to improved animal health, more nutritious and safer food products
from
animals, advances in human health, and conservation of both the
environment
and endangered animals. They include:

* USDA biotech researchers announced a breakthrough that will
help cows be
naturally resistant to mastitis, a bacterial infection of
cows' milk
glands that causes inflammation and swelling and a loss in milk
production. The biotech cows produce the protein lysostaphin,
which
significantly decreases the likelihood of developing mastitis,
which
causes up to a $2 billion loss annually for dairy farmers in
the United
States.

* Chickens, cows and pigs were improved through biotechnology as
part of
research to improve human health. In June, Scottish scientists
developed a method of producing antibodies that treat
malignant skin
cancer in chicken egg whites improved through biotechnology.
The new
production technique could allow for the development of a wide
range of
cancer treatments in greater volume and in a more cost-
efficient method
than conventional manufacturing techniques.

* In Argentina, cows were improved with biotechnology to produce
human
growth hormones in their milk. Scientists estimate that just
15 of
these Jersey cows could produce enough human growth hormone to
meet the
current world demand for the hormone.

* Work continued in South Korea on xenotransplantation, with
piglets
improved through biotechnology that contain an "HLA-G" gene,
which give
their organs an increased change of acceptance if transplanted
into
humans. Immuno-rejection is one of the major hurdles to
xenotransplantation; the introduced gene in the cloned piglets
may
reduce the chance of organ rejection.

* In animal conservation, an endangered species of Mongolian
gazelle was
cloned for the first time. 2005 also marked several other
animal
cloning firsts, including water buffalo and an Arab endurance
champion
horse. In addition, the United Kingdom announced approval to
clone
horses for research using somatic nuclear transfer techniques.

And finally, throughout the year, many international
organizations
continued to add to the collection of scientific literature that
highlights
the benefits of agricultural biotechnology:

* The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that biotech
foods can
"contribute to enhancing human health and development." The
study found
that biotech foods can increase crop yield, food quality, and
the
diversity of foods which can be grown in a given area, and
lead to
better health and nutrition, and thereby raise health and
living
standards.

* A report issued by USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) and
Rutgers
University also found that large farms and small-scale farmers
in
southern Africa can benefit from planting biotech corn. The
report
found that yields on large farmers increased about 11 percent,
and
yields for small farms increased anywhere from seven to 56
percent, when
biotech corn was planted.

* A National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy (NCFAP)
study found
that the 118 million acres of biotech crops U.S. farmers
planted in 2004
increased food production by 6.6 billion pounds, and provided
$2.3
billion in additional net returns for U.S. growers. Biotech
crops also
reduced pesticide use by an additional 34 percent, or 15.6
million
pounds.

* The British research firm PG Economics Ltd. found that the
global use of
biotechnology-derived crops has added $27 billion to farm
income and
greatly reduced agriculture's negative impacts upon the
environment.

* An April, Science published a study by researchers at Rutgers
University
and the University of California, Davis who found that biotech
rice in
China could decrease farmer's production costs, increase
harvest yields,
reduce the use of pesticides by as much as 80 percent, and
improve
farmer health. The study also estimated that if "90 percent
of the
farmers plant [biotech] rice, the annual agricultural income
of China
will increase by $4 billion."

* A study by the University of Connecticut and Japan's Kagoshima
Prefectural Cattle Breeding Development Institute found that
meat and
milk products from cloned cattle are safe for consumption.
The results
reiterate those found by the National Academy of Science in
2001.

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations
across the
United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the
research
and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and
environmental
biotechnology products.

SOURCE Biotechnology Industry Organization
Web Site: http://www.bio.org

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