Obama's Clear Endorsement of Agricultural Biotechnology

The dedication of Dr. Norman Borlaug's statue in the U.S. Capitol on March 25, 2014 not only highlighted his accomplishments in feeding the world, it also prompted the President of the United States to give his clearest endorsement to date on the important role of biotechnology in agriculture.

In a letter dated April 11, 2014 to Julie Borlaug, President Obama wrote about how pleased he was to join in celebrating her grandfather's life and his passion for feeding the hungry through biotechnology. He wrote, ""I share his belief that investment in enhanced biotechnology is an essential component of the solution to some of our planet's most pressing agricultural problems." The President added, "I will continue to work with the Department of Agriculture and others to explore innovative solutions to address food security challenges and mitigate the effects of climate change."

Julie Borlaug, Assistant Director for External Relations at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture said "This is a huge endorsement of the importance of agriculture research and biotechnology. My grandfather would have been grateful and appreciative of the president's focus on agriculture and climate change in an effort to feed the 9 billion people expected to live on this planet by 2050."

To read President Obama's letter, click here: http://www.agri-pulse.com/uploaded/Borlaug_Letter.pdf. For more information, read http://www.agri-pulse.com/President-Obama-provides-clear-endorsement-of-agricultural-biotechnology-04152014.asp.