Benefits of Biotechnology

Benefits of Biotechnology

The Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture recently held a public hearing to discuss the benefits of biotechnology. Witnesses who spoke in front of the committee included three highly esteemed persons with PhD’s and one first generation farmer, Joanna Lidback. The witnesses spoke informatively, eloquently, and in Lidback’s case, passionately about the benefits of agriculture biotechnology to farmers and consumers. But perhaps Lidback’s testimony stood out the most because she and her husband have the day to day hands on experience of running a small 45-cow dairy farm. In other words her family’s livelihood depends on the “science and capability of biotechnology”. Lidback said during her testimony that to her and her husband “the use of GMOs is important to the economic sustainability of their farm” and that “sustainability means living and farming in a way that meets today’s needs while ensuring that future generations also can meet their needs.” She also pointed out that without the technologies that allow them to raise crops that have shorter growing seasons, improve and enhance their animal’s health, and control production costs their small farm would quickly go out of business.
 
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