Conference Discusses Biotech and the Future of Agriculture

The future of agriculture and coexistence of organic and GM crops were discussed at the Agricultural Biotechnology Regulation, Trade and Coexistence Conference held on April 18, 2012 in Ames, Iowa, U.S.

Experts of organic farming, conventional farming, crop biotechnology attended the conference. Iowa State University professor, Jeffrey Wolt, explained that it is important to discuss issues about GM crops. "We feel that it's very important in the state of Iowa where there is so much production of genetically modified crops that we do a good job of discussing all of the issues that surround it," Wolt said. "[We are] trying to understand both as the science in relation to the policy made." He also stressed that the speedy developments in the field of biotechnology is a challenge because the rate at which regulation policies can be made is much slower than the pacing of biotech research.

Gregory Jaffe, director of the biotechnology project for the Center for Science in the Public Interested, a non-profit organization that focuses on education regarding the agricultural and food industries, also expressed his thoughts about GM technology. He said that his real job is to educate the press, the public, and the policy makers about the real facts in biotechnology because a lot are misinformed about the issues.

For more details, visit http://iowastatedaily.com/news/article_eb981c62-89b3-11e1-a613-001a4bcf887a.html.