04/26/07 Biotech's acceptance date

Doctor Joe Guenthner says it will happen early in the next decade. GUENTHNER "We are going to have wide acceptance of the technology but not complete acceptance." The University of Idaho ag economist was talking about biotechnology's global acceptance. Guenthner studies and uses mathematical models to forecast how long it takes for consumers to accept new technology, in this case biotech crops. GUENTHNER "I think in Asia acceptance is coming through governments, governments of China and India being pro-GM. I think on the African continent hunger is an important driver. Borders between countries that accept GM technology and those who do not, causing a change." Guenthner says in most of the world genetically modified crops will be more rapidly accepted and it may come from many of those now opposed to the technology. GUENTHNER "Some are accepted commercially now, are in the marketplace. GM potatoes are a case study in market failure. I think technology itself may be used to I guess the concerns of some of the people who are against it but I think eventually this technology won't be stopped." According to Guenthner's study biotechnology will be accepted by about 2013. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott