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Douglas J. Dorsey -
Monsanto Company - USA |
August 2002 |
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What impact does
GM seed have on the supply chain that starts in the R&D
departments of the seed companies and ends on the plates of
the consumers? |
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In many ways,
biotechnology has been fairly revolutionary. The advent of
the use of biology to treat agricultural problems, such as
weed and insect
control, instead of chemistry has inspired almost an entirely
new industry.
In the agricultural industry, companies like Monsanto have
made a
significant shift -- focusing the majority of our research on
biotechnology,
genomics and related areas rather than the traditional model
of new chemical
discovery.
At the farm level, biotechnology is really having the most
immediate impact
today -- offering farmers a way to improve their productivity
in ways that
are better for the environment. The most important
contribution of
biotechnology today is reducing the amount of synthetic
chemicals that are
sprayed to control weeds and pests. Additionally, the adoption
of biotech
crops is helping to facilitate other practices in agriculture
like the
broader use of conservation tillage, which helps protect soil
and water
resources for farmers, making their operations more
sustainable and
providing tangible benefits to the environment.
Additionally, biotechnology is beginning to touch the lives of
consumers.
With biotech crops reducing the use of pesticides in
agriculture, there is a
very real and profound benefit for consumers that often goes
unnoticed.
And, those benefits are just the beginning. As scientists are
better able
to apply breakthroughs in the science and technology, there's
the
possibility to improve food, making it healthier. With the
advent of
products like "golden rice," we're already seeing that promise
taking shape. |
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