NCGA Participates in Biotechnology Anniversary Event on Capitol Hill (9-23-05)
On Thursday on Capitol Hill, the National Corn Growers Association
(NCGA), along with other agricultural organizations and congressional
leaders, marked the 10-year anniversary of U.S. commercial biotechnology
use and the planting and harvesting of the one billionth acre of
biotech crops globally.
“Our farmers support efforts, through modern biotechnology,
to increase the marketability of agricultural products to address
environmental concerns and increase farm income and yield by decreasing
input costs and improving product quality,” said NCGA Vice
President of Public Policy Jon Doggett at the press event commemorating
the anniversary. “U.S. farmers are adopting biotechnology because
they recognize its safety, benefits and potential.”
House Biotechnology Caucus co-chairs Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.),
Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) and John Shimkus (R-Ill.) joined the agricultural
groups in celebrating the milestone.
Doggett said
biotech crops, such as corn, cotton and soybeans, have been adopted
with great speed and have shown their value in increasing farmer
income, boosting crop yields, reducing pesticide use and spurring
greater use of environmentally friendly no-till agriculture. He
said NCGA’s
Biotechnology Working Group feels it is vital to continue finding
ways to become more efficient in grower operations and has clearly
stated that biotechnology is one of those ways.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2004 corn growers
planted 45 percent of their acreage to biotech hybrids, up 19 percentage
points from just three years earlier. USDA is projecting nearly 52
percent biotech plantings for 2005.
Biotechnology,
Doggett said, helps growers to produce more with less. “Reduced land use, reduced labor, reduced crop loss and
reduced fuel use and emissions can result from biotech use,” he
said.
He continued, “Biotechnology
results in less soil erosion, less fuel emissions and less herbicide
carryover in order to maintain healthy groundwater, rivers and
streams. That is a pretty amazing list of benefits from this advancement
in technology.”
Safety is another important factor in choosing biotechnology. Farmers
must take into consideration that our customers are around the world;
our livelihoods depend on the safety of our products. Plant biotechnology
crops are among the most studied and reviewed feed and food ingredient
products in the world today.
The safety of biotech crops have resulted in controversy around
the world. Regulatory authorities, in reviewing the commercial use
of biotech crops, have determined they pose no more risk than crops
produced through traditional crop breeding methods. This risk assessment
approach has been affirmed by the United Nations Codex Commission.
Dogget said NCGA believes the development of biotechnology offers
great promise for corn growers through improved efficiencies and
potential profits when managed wisely and with regulatory oversight
based on sound science. Widespread acceptance of biotechnology depends
on better methods of informing consumers and better management by
biotechnology providers, producers, suppliers and grain merchandisers.
He said NCGA also believes that there is long-term opportunities
for farmers to grow value-added products derived from biotechnology
and continues to pursue new technologies that can hold great promise
for the future of agriculture.
Doggett pinched
hit for Darrin Ihnen, NCGA’s
chairman of the Biotechnology Working Group, whose flight out was
cancelled.