01/22/09 Accepting GMO's Part 2

Accepting GMO's Part 2. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. It is called several things. Genetically modified organisms, genetically engineered, biotechnology but the fact is that many of the foods we eat come from this category. Sharon Bomer with Biotechnology Industry Organization says farmers have embraced the science for one main reason. BOMER: Sustainability. Always people ask, what is the definition of sustainability and I try and draw from the 1990 Farm Bill definition; enhancing crop production, promoting resource conservation, reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. What many tend to forget  improving the economic viability for farmers and communities, and advancing product safety. Bomer says that biotechnology is assisting with what she calls her 3 F's. BOMER: Food, fiber and fuels needs. If you look at increased yields  agriculture biotechnology does help increase yield. If we look at corn production since 1996 when the first biotech corn was first introduced, yield has increased 30%. And I want to emphasize it's not all due to biotechnology; it's also due to farmers improved agronomic practices. Industry and agriculture are embracing the GMO's. But what about you and I who are putting them on the plate for our families? BOMER: Consumer acceptance ranges from where you are in the world into "who cares" to "I really don't know" and outright rejection. In the EU where we have the most resistance from consumers, a lot of that is driven by organizations like Greenpeace activist organizations who really have driven public opposition to the technology. EU politicians have shied away from biotechnology believing their constituents don't support it but last years world food crisis has helped to change some of those attitudes. Bomer says that there were three studies done last year on biotechnology. BOMER: Biotech foods did not make the top of mind list of things Americans are avoiding. Awareness of food biotechnology continues to correlate with favorability in the United States and the likelihood to purchase biotech foods for special consumer benefits remains high and stable. To compare that, the key food safety concerns among 50% of U.S. consumers continue to be disease and contamination compared to 1% of U.S. consumers who listed biotechnology as a top of mind issue. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.