July 04, 2003
Ag Biotech at a Crossroad
Capital Press, by Cookson Beecher, Staff Writer
Forum offers respectful setting for discussions
SEATTLE—The potential benefits—and dangers—of biotechnology were in the center of the spotlight during the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council's 15th conference.
A consortium of major agricultural research and education institutions in the United States and Canada, the council holds annual conferences that serve as an open forum for agricultural biotechnology issues.
Key to this approach is bringing people together who have different opinions so they can share information and concerns in a respectful setting.
"We welcome all viewpoints," said Ralph Hardy, president of the council, during his welcoming talk. "We will all leave this meeting with viewpoints significantly changed or modified."
This year's conference, "Biotechnology: Science and Society at a Crossroad," included panel discussions, question-and-answer opportunities and breakout sessions. Topics ranged from how biotechnology is changing society to traceability and trade of genetically modified food.
Among the speakers and attendees were leading university researchers, biotech company scientists, policy experts, agency officials, farmers, sustainable-farming advocates and students.
In recent years, agricultural biotechnology has been provoking controversy both domestically and internationally.
Biotech supporters believe that an emerging biobased economy will change the planet for the better. They point to potential benefits that include a reduction in pesticide use, improved nutrition thanks to the addition of vitamins and other nutrients to food crops and the development of more affordable pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
Opponents don't dispute that biotechnology has the potential to change the planet. That's exactly what they're worried about.
"We are very concerned about the impacts of the widespread commercialization of genetically modified crops on farmers, the environment, the economy and society," said Bonnie Rice, director of the Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network, in a network press release.
The network is a statewide advocacy organization for sustainable agriculture and family farms in Washington state.
Rice pointed to problems that have already arisen from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) - among them, contamination of organic and conventional crops, a loss of markets due to fears of genetic drift and higher seed costs for farmers.
Concerns like this are taking their toll on the ag biotech industry. Yet research continues with the hope that society will accept this new technology just as it eventually accepted other agricultural developments such as hybridization.
During his presentation at the conference's session on Sunday afternoon, James Petersen, interim vice provost for research at Washington State University, told attendees that biotechnology is a major focus of research at WSU and Oregon State University.
He explained that one of the main reasons for that is based on the belief that biotechnology can offer the agricultural industry the potential for growth and sustainability.
Thayne Dutson, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University, told the group that biotechnology has advanced to an era where gene combinations can be identified.
"This will give us advantages to deal with market forces," he said "Those market demands must be paid close attention to."
Karla Chambers, co-owner of 2,000-acre Stahlbush Island Farms near Corvallis, Ore., knows that only too well.
She told the group about her recent trip to Tokyo, where she spent eight days talking with customers.
"The debate is not about science," she said, explaining that the people she talked with wanted to know how she could guarantee that her crops are GMO-free.
She warned that farmers who don't have a way to trace and test their food for GMOs don't have a chance of getting a second interview with most overseas customers.
"Our science is putting our agriculture at risk," she warned.
During a break-out session after the panel discussion, Chambers said the issues around biotechnology can be debated on a philosophical level, but for farmers there's still this reality: The first question many overseas buyers ask is "Are you growing GMO crops or are your crops contaminated by GMOs?"
Zeroing in on fears about GMOs, Eric Sachs, who has spent most of his 25-year career with Monsanto in applied science, said it boils down to the fact that in the marketplace, perception is reality.
"I'm hearing a lot of concerns," he said. "The real question is whether we can allow those concerns to stop development. Or should we address the concerns pertaining to the application of biotechnology in agriculture? What are the sources of those concerns? And how do we address them?"
R. James Cook, plant pathologist at WSU and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, agreed that concerns need to be addressed, but said they keep changing.
"Originally, concerns had to do with safety," he said.
But later, Cook started hearing this message: "You don't understand. We just don't want it."
"I get frustrated when I run into misinformation," he said. "But I do want to listen to the concerns. I believe we have to move forward."