Benefits of Biotechnology

1
Benefits of Plant Biotechnology
1
2
Plant biotechnology is about
3
(No Transcript)
4
Scientists and government regulators asked the
same questions two decades ago that others are
asking today.
5

• Mission
• To improve understanding and acceptance of
  biotechnology by collecting balanced, credible
  information and communicating this message
  through a variety of media.

6
Consistently, support for biotechnology is
higher among people who have heard more about it.
Percentage who support biotechnology to ...
Develop new varieties of crops
Genetically modify foods
November 2001 survey by Council for Biotechnology
Information
6
7
Awareness of plant biotechnology benefits
continues to rise.
For new medicines and health care techniques
11
To grow more food to feed expanding population
11
For hardier crops to withstand drought, poor soils
8
12
For healthier foods
Percentage among general public who agrees that
each is true of biotechnology
To reduce need for chemical pesticides
9
7
8
One in four doubt the safety of enhanced foods
another one in four are uncertain.
8
9
What Is Plant Biotechnology

• The Benefits of Plant Biotechnology

• The Regulatory Framework

9
10
Plant Biotechnology

• A precise process to improve plants.

10
11
Selective breeding led to higher-yielding
varieties.
12
Teosinte
Modern corn
13
Gregor Johann Mendel
14
Law of Uniformity
Law of Segregation
14
15
15
16
No conceptual distinction exists between genetic
modification of plants and microorganisms by
classical methods or by molecular techniques
that modify DNA and transfer genes.

• National Research Council

17
Benefits of Plant Biotechnology

• More food
• Better food
• Better for the environment

17
18
More Food

• Producing more food more efficiently.

19
Projected world population
19
20
Benefits of Plant Biotechnology

• More food
• Better food
• Better for the environment

20
21
Synthetic insulin the very first biotech product
22
Let food be your medicine and medicine be your
food.

• Hippocrates

23
Rice enriched with vitamin A
24
High-protein corn in Africa, Asia and Latin
America
25
Agricultural biotechnology holds great promise
for Africa. We dont want to be denied this
technology because of a misguided notion that we
dont understand the dangers of the future
consequences.

• Hassan Adamu, Nigerian Minister of
  Agriculture and Rural Development

26
Papaya biotechnology network
27
Better Food

• Genetically improved oilseeds for healthier
  cooking oil.

28
Healthier vegetables
29
Benefits of Plant Biotechnology

• More food
• Better food
• Better for the environment

29
30
Bring environmentally sensitive land under the
plow, or increase productivity on existing land?
31
Plant biotechnology means less spraying
32
Plant biotechnology means more conservation
tillage
33
Better for the Environment

• Mangrove genes transferred to annual crops to
  promote tolerance to saline soils.

34
A powerful tool for fostering ecofarming as well
as for enhancing the productivity of rainfed and
saline soils.

• M.S. Swaminatham
• 1987 World Food Prize recipient

35
Government Regulation
35
36
36
37
World Health Organization

• American Dietetic Association

• American Medical Association

• Institute of Food Technologists

38
Government regulation

• Less trust in food regulatory systems in Europe.

39
Benefits of plant biotechnology have been
agronomic
40
(No Transcript)
41
We have recently advanced our knowledge of
genetics to a point where we can manipulate life
in a way never intended by nature. We must
proceed with the utmost caution in the
application of this new found knowledge.
Luther Burbank
42
The turning point in agriculture was hybrid
wheat.
Jacob Bronowski The Ascent of Man
43
Plant biotechnology represents the next leap
forward
44
If they can give us a better tomato, Im for
it.

• Julia Child

45
Scientists around the world agree that the new
gene-splicing technology lowers even further
the already minimal risk associated with
introducing new plant varieties into the food
supply.

• Professor Henry Miller, Stanford University

46
We are increasingly encouraged that the
advantages of genetic engineering of plants and
animals are greater than the risks . . . We
cannot agree with the position of some groups
that say it is against the will of God to meddle
with the genetic make-up of plants and animals.

• Bishop Elio Sgreccia, vice president of the
  Pontifical Academy for Life

47
The more people know, the more they support
biotechnology.
Council for Biotechnology Information Research
48
For more information

• Council for Biotechnology Information
• www.whybiotech.com
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/laws.html
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• www.cfsan.fda.gov

48
49
Plant biotechnology is about
49
50

• Council for Biotechnology Information
• 1225 Eye Street N.W., Suite 400
• Washington, DC 20005-5958
• Phone [phone]
• www.whybiotech.com