Farm View: Nothing to Fear from Biotech
Do you have a fear of biotechnology? Well, you shouldn't have. Biotechnology is simply the use of gene science and technology to improve existing plants and animals.
Farmers have always used this type of selection process of choosing the best-suited and highest yielding crops to feed a growing population.
Biotech isn't going to change corn production so that the plant grows "arms" instead of "ears". This technology just helps plants deal with adverse conditions such as cold weather, droughts and naturally occurring pests and diseases.
The benefits are foods that stay fresher longer, taste better, and have more enhanced nutritional value. Since 1990, biotechnology has given us peanuts with a higher protein content, bananas and pineapples with a longer shelf life, sweeter bell peppers, tastier tomatoes and lower-fat vegetable oils.
Farmers have been growing genetically enhanced corn, soybeans and cotton crops that contain built-in pest resistance. This allows farmers to use fewer pesticides. Biotechnology has improved the quality and value of food from the producer's field to the consumer's table.
The percentage of biotech crops planted has been on the rise for many years. In 2006, according to the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, U.S. farmers planted biotech crops that produced an additional 7.7 billion pounds of food and fiber, increased farm income $2.6 billion, and reduced the use of pesticides by 110 million pounds. Just in Illinois, biotech corn and soybeans increased food production by more than 1.2 billion pounds, improved farm income by more than $326 million and annually reduces pesticide use by more than 12.5 million pounds.
Farm Bureau supports increased efforts through biotechnology to more rapidly develop products which have recognized consumer benefits. Some of these benefits include increased marketability of farm products, enhancing the environment and better product quality. Biotech also benefits worldwide consumers by ensuring a stable, ample, safe and nutritious supply of U.S. products.
While promoting the benefits of these products, Farm Bureau is also actively involved in educating producers to be good stewards of biotechnology. Farmers are encouraged to maintain the integrity of the U.S. food and grain supply by adhering to the regulations.
We support the coordinated analysis of biotechnology products by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) before they are approved for domestic use and commercialization.
Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States said, "Responsible biotechnology is not the problem, starvation is. Without adequate food supplies at affordable prices, we cannot expect world health or peace."
All methods of agriculture production and marketing should be supported provided all producers meet the required standards. Our organization supports efforts to establish specific standards for biotechnology enhanced and nonbiotechnology enhanced product certifications such as organically grown food.
The growth of the organic food and product markets provides new income potential for Illinois farmers of all sizes. The integrity of this program and process should be maintained.
Coming from the great state of Illinois, President Obama knows the importance of agriculture. He realizes that American agriculture helps feed the world while also playing an important part in international trade.
A few months ago, when he was still known as President-elect Obama, he named former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture. At the news conference announcing the nomination, Obama said he nominated Vilsack to lead the USDA because of his record of promoting biotechnology to strengthen our farmers and foster an agricultural economy of the future that not only grows the food we eat but also the energy we use.
Biotechnology is change we can believe in.
David Treece is the manager of the Ford-Iroquois Farm Bureau. He can be reached at (815) 265-4712.
Arizona Internet Marketing
Arizona Biotechnology Marketing
Biotechnology News
Farmers have always used this type of selection process of choosing the best-suited and highest yielding crops to feed a growing population.
Biotech isn't going to change corn production so that the plant grows "arms" instead of "ears". This technology just helps plants deal with adverse conditions such as cold weather, droughts and naturally occurring pests and diseases.
The benefits are foods that stay fresher longer, taste better, and have more enhanced nutritional value. Since 1990, biotechnology has given us peanuts with a higher protein content, bananas and pineapples with a longer shelf life, sweeter bell peppers, tastier tomatoes and lower-fat vegetable oils.
Farmers have been growing genetically enhanced corn, soybeans and cotton crops that contain built-in pest resistance. This allows farmers to use fewer pesticides. Biotechnology has improved the quality and value of food from the producer's field to the consumer's table.
The percentage of biotech crops planted has been on the rise for many years. In 2006, according to the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, U.S. farmers planted biotech crops that produced an additional 7.7 billion pounds of food and fiber, increased farm income $2.6 billion, and reduced the use of pesticides by 110 million pounds. Just in Illinois, biotech corn and soybeans increased food production by more than 1.2 billion pounds, improved farm income by more than $326 million and annually reduces pesticide use by more than 12.5 million pounds.
Farm Bureau supports increased efforts through biotechnology to more rapidly develop products which have recognized consumer benefits. Some of these benefits include increased marketability of farm products, enhancing the environment and better product quality. Biotech also benefits worldwide consumers by ensuring a stable, ample, safe and nutritious supply of U.S. products.
While promoting the benefits of these products, Farm Bureau is also actively involved in educating producers to be good stewards of biotechnology. Farmers are encouraged to maintain the integrity of the U.S. food and grain supply by adhering to the regulations.
We support the coordinated analysis of biotechnology products by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) before they are approved for domestic use and commercialization.
Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States said, "Responsible biotechnology is not the problem, starvation is. Without adequate food supplies at affordable prices, we cannot expect world health or peace."
All methods of agriculture production and marketing should be supported provided all producers meet the required standards. Our organization supports efforts to establish specific standards for biotechnology enhanced and nonbiotechnology enhanced product certifications such as organically grown food.
The growth of the organic food and product markets provides new income potential for Illinois farmers of all sizes. The integrity of this program and process should be maintained.
Coming from the great state of Illinois, President Obama knows the importance of agriculture. He realizes that American agriculture helps feed the world while also playing an important part in international trade.
A few months ago, when he was still known as President-elect Obama, he named former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture. At the news conference announcing the nomination, Obama said he nominated Vilsack to lead the USDA because of his record of promoting biotechnology to strengthen our farmers and foster an agricultural economy of the future that not only grows the food we eat but also the energy we use.
Biotechnology is change we can believe in.
David Treece is the manager of the Ford-Iroquois Farm Bureau. He can be reached at (815) 265-4712.
Arizona Internet Marketing
Arizona Biotechnology Marketing
Biotechnology News
Labels: Arizona, Arizona Biotech, Biotech
posted by Bill Austin - Farm View: Nothing to Fear from Biotech
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