In This
Issue:
MINISTERIAL
CONFERENCE ON S & T IDENTIFIES PRIORITY AREAS
The
three-day Ministerial Conference and Exposition of Agricultural
Science and Technology held in Sacramento, California ended with
the identification of emerging themes and steps to help find solutions
to global hunger and poverty.
US
Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman said that these broad themes
will help determine the priorities to be addressed. "Harnessing
information to help farmers; expanding the knowledge base through
research and support for local institutions; and building partnerships
among nations, academia and industry are areas where we can work
together to find solutions," she explained.
Veneman
stated that this will mean a rearranging of priorities to address
critical areas. Among the recommended priority areas are the need
to:
- Strengthen
education and agricultural research;
- Enhance
partnerships and international cooperation to help make scarce
resources go farther; and
- Facilitate
the benefits of technology through supportive policies and regulations.
Some
60 ministers of agriculture, 26 ministers from the areas of natural
resources and environment, 18 ministers of science and technology,
12 ministers of commerce and several from health and education
ministries attended the conference.
The
conference was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to discuss ways to end world hunger and poverty, notably through
the use of biotechnology. One of the key international meetings
prior to September's World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in
Cancun, it also attracted protesters who denounced the ministerial
meeting as an effort to promote the interest of US agricultural
and biotech companies.
Veneman's
closing remarks are available at http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2003/06/0232.htm.
Complete information about the conference including speeches and
presentations from the conference will be posted at http://www.usda.gov.
BIOTECH FOR
IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY
Professor
Klaus Ammann, Head of the Botanical Garden in Berne, Switzerland,
released just recently the results of his research entitled "Biodiversity
and Agricultural Biotechnology: A Review of the Impact of Agricultural
Biotechnology on Biodiversity." Ammann observed that biotechnology
has positive impacts on biodiversity, some of with are less pesticide
and insecticide use, and farmer adoption of soil saving practices
such as reduced soil tillage.
Other
major findings of the study include:
- Factors
negatively affecting biodiversity are related directly or indirectly
to the needs of agricultural production. Increased human population
and limited arable land have demanded an increase in agricultural
productivity which, in turn, requires the employment of more
intensive agricultural practices.
- GM
crops can increase yields and decrease yield variability, thus
reducing the need to invest additional agricultural land. Research
shows that genetic uniformity can also be reduced up to 30%.
- GM
crops and other technologies that increase agricultural productivity
can help preserve natural biodiversity, since it slows down the
rate at which natural habitats are destroyed when in search for
new agricultural land.
Ammann
concludes that "GM crops are important tools in the preservation
of biodiversity. Overall, creating agricultural systems with minimal
impact on biodiversity will require utilizing all available technologies
while simultaneously encouraging appropriate farmer practices."
See
the full report at http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Biotech-Biodiv/Report-Biodiv-Biotech12.pdf
NCFAP STUDY:
FARMERS GAIN MORE FROM GM CROPS
Three
case studies of the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
(NCFAP) attest that planting genetically modified crops can help
European farmers reap an additional 7.8 billion kilograms (17 billion
pounds) of food and improve farm income over €1 billion, while
using 9.7 million fewer kilograms (21.7 million pounds) of pesticide.
Leonard
Gianessi, program director for NCFAP says that this is the first
attempt to explain how biotechnology could impact Europe. NCFAP
is a nonprofit, Washington-based research organization. The case
studies were reviewed by plant biotechnology experts from European
academic and government institutions.
The
study shows that crops like Bt corn, currently planted in Spain
on a small scale, have the potential to increase yields in Europe
by 1.9 billion kilograms (4.2 billion pounds) while crops like
biotech herbicide tolerant sugar beets could significantly lower
costs to growers. A fungal resistant potato under development could
reduce pesticide use by over 7.5 million kilograms (16.5 million
pounds). See a related article in this e-newsletter.
NCFAP
researchers say that among the European countries, France and Germany
would gain the greatest production increase.
The
three case studies are the first in a series that NCFAP will release
in 2004. The complete study will include 15 case studies of fruits,
vegetables and field crops where biotechnology solutions to major
pest problems are under development in Europe.
The
complete case studies are available online at http://www.ncfap.org/Europe.htm
BT CORN IN EUROPEAN
AGRICULTURE
The
improvement in profitability of corn production through the planting
of Bt corn may offset the potential adverse effect on corn crop
margins that are expected from EU Commission reforms in its agricultural
policy. This is the conclusion of Leonard Gianessi and colleagues
in a case study entitled "Plant Biotechnology: Potential Impact
for Improving Pest Management in European Agriculture: Maize Case
Study."
One
of a series of case studies recently completed by the National
Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, Washington, DC, the corn
study provides a summary of the potential impacts of Bt corn in
Europe. It projects that Bt will be adopted on 1.599 million hectares
(41% of corn hectares). Production costs will increase by 14.4
million euros. By increasing production by 1.9 billion kilograms
per year, it is estimated that corn value would increase by 263
million euros. This would result in a net increase in farm income
of 248 million euros. Insecticide use is also projected to decline
by 52,600 kilograms.
The
full report is available online at http://www.ncfap.org
CO-EXISTENCE
OF GM AND NON-GM CROPS
Generally,
genetically modified (GM) crop planting will have a fairly limited
economic impact on non GM and organic farming. This is the conclusion
of Graham Brookes of Brookes West, Canterbury UK in a paper entitled "Co-existence
of GM and Non GM Crops: Economic and Market Perspectives."
Brookes
examined the potential economic implications of co-existence among
GM crops, conventional crops, and organic crops in the European
Union (EU). He analyzed research data about the potential costs
of complying with tolerance levels for the adventitious presence
of GM material in non-GM products. Co-existence, as defined by
the European Union, relates to "the economic consequences
of adventitious presence of material from one crop in another and
the principle that farmers should be able to cultivate freely the
agricultural crops they choose, be it GM crops, conventional or
organic crops".
The
paper also says that the economic consequences for organic farming
of the wider planting of GM crops in the EU will be limited, especially
if the sector adopts tolerances and practices for GMO adventitious
presence that are consistent with other organic tolerances and
principles.
Brookes
adds that with regards co-existence and liability (who should pay
costs of adhering to specific tolerances of the adventitious presence
of GMOs in non GM crops), some of the following points should be
taken into consideration:
- Regulations,
laws guidelines and standards, which originate from government
or industry can also affect the costs involved.
- Imposition
of regulation reflects a need to balance reasonable protection
with reasonable cost burden.
- The
establishment of any regulatory based compliance requirements
on farmers opting to grow GM crops will be considered when weighing
perceived benefits against the costs.
View
the full paper online at http://www.abcinformation.org/incubator/applications/
news/uploads/CoexistencepaperBrookes2003.doc
BUSH BATS FOR
BIOTECH
US President
George Bush reiterated his administration's commitment to supporting
biotechnology so it "can serve the true interests of our nation
and mankind" in remarks at the Bio 2003 Convention Center
and Exhibition in Washington, DC.
Bush
likewise called on the European governments to end their moratorium
on GM crops. He said this has caused African nations to avoid investing
in biotechnology since they worry that their products will be shut
out of important European markets. "For the sake of a continent
threatened by famine, I urge the European governments to end their
opposition to biotechnology. We should encourage the spread of
safe, effective biotechnology to win the fight against global hunger." In
the long term, the US intends to help such nations "avert
famine by sharing with them the most advance methods of crop production."
A transcript
of Bush's remarks can be viewed online at the link below.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/06/20030623-2.html
NEGATIVE GM
LABELS SWAY CONSUMER OPINIONS MORE
Negative
information on food labels on GM products influence public opinion
more, as compared to positive labels. However, source and content
of information are also important considerations. These were the
findings of an experimental auction research that was conducted
by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department
of Agriculture.
During
the experiments, when the 172 subjects were given both pro-biotech
information from leading biotech companies and anti-biotech statements
from advocate groups, the subjects bid less for biotech-labeled
foods from a range of 16% to 29%, depending on the type of food
product. However, when the subjects were fed neutral science-based
information from a third source (academe, religious leaders, and
scientists), price bids for GM-labeled foods dropped from 0% to
11% less as compared to natural and organic foods.
See
the full story at Nature Biotechnology, Vol 21, No 6.
'WHITE BIOTECH'
FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Feike
Sijbesma, Chairman of Europabio, stated that the use of microorganisms
like molds, yeasts or bacteria and enzymes in industrial production
can contribute to sustainability since these microorganisms can
help conserve water, energy and raw materials. These were the results
of six case studies that were carried out by independent organizations,
such as the Oeko-Institute in Freiburg, Germany.
"White
biotechnology" or industrial biotech, is a bioprocess that
is used to produce antibiotics, vitamins, detergents, bio-plastics
and new textile fibers. This new bioprocess is said to have a positive
effect on the environment, and considerable economic benefits.
All six studies showed important environmental benefits can be
achieved using this bioprocess since, in the case of antibiotics,
raw material requirements and energy consumption can be reduced
by as much as 65%, while cost can be cut by 50%.
"To
capture the potential of white biotechnology, a technology platform
(with all stakeholders present) should be set up. Such a change
cannot happen overnight in Europe, the EU must start to make long
term plans right now," states Feike Sijbesma.
More
on Europabio at http://www.europabio.org.
EPO UPHOLDS
GM SOYBEAN PATENT
European
patent 301,749, a broad patent covering GM soybean varieties and
seeds regardless of gene and method of transformation used, was
recently upheld by the Opposition Division of the European Patent
Office (EPO) in Munich, Germany.
However,
the EPO stressed that only GM soybeans are covered by this patent,
and disregarded initial claims to the genetic modification of other
crops. This patent was initially awarded to Agracetus in 1994,
and was criticized back then for undermining food security and
threatening biodiversity.
See
the full story at Nature Biotechnology, Vol 21, No 6.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
MENTOR'S
KIT ON BIOTECH UPDATED
Biotechnology:
Providing Options for Philippine Agriculture, a mentor's kit containing
a Powerpoint presentation tailored for Filipino audiences, was
recently updated by the International Service for the Acquisition
of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). A collaborative project developed
by ISAAA, SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center, and the Philippine
Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research
and Development, it is a prototype material for explaining biotechnology
in layman's terms. While specific for a Filipino audience, the
kit contains several slides that are global in orientation.
To download
the kit, visit http://www.isaaa.org/kc |