Agricultural biotechnology allows farmers to use fewer pesticides and holds the promise of preventing disease affecting millions of people around the world, leading experts in food and agricultural biotechnology said today. 

At a briefing held in conjunction with BIO 2000, the annual meeting of the Biotechnology Industry
Organization (BIO), a diverse panel of experts that included a scientist, a regulatory expert and a family farmer pointed to the many human benefits of biotechnology. 

"In developing nations, especially in Africa, millions of people struggling to provide food for themselves and their families can greatly benefit from biotechnology,'' said Dr. C. S. Prakash, professor and director of the Center for Plant Biotechnology Research at Alabama's Tuskegee University. "By simply planting a genetically improved seed, people could protect their crop against loss to disease and insects.

"Moreover, products like vitamin-A enhanced `golden rice,' developed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, will soon be available to farmers in the developing world. This can prevent blindness caused by vitamin-A deficiency in millions of children in countries where diets consist mainly of rice.'' 

Dr. Lester Crawford, Director of the Georgetown Center for Food and Nutrition Policy said the
regulation of biotechnology is the most effective, fail-safe and foolproof of any technology regulated by the FDA. 

"Foods produced with the aid of biotechnology are the most carefully regulated or scrutinized foods in the history of the nation and the history of humanity,'' said Dr. Val Giddings, BIO's vice president for food and agriculture. 

Steve Wentworth, an Illinois corn and soybean farmer said, "The farming industry in this country is struggling. Biotechnology has really helped me as well as many other farmers save time and money because we don't have to use as many pesticides and herbicides. I save an average of over $50,000 per year, money that I use to pay for my children's college education and to take care of other family expenses.'' 

Participants included: 

• Dr. C. S. Prakash, Professor and Director, Center for Plant Biotechnology Research, Tuskegee University
• Dr. Lester Crawford, Director, Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Georgetown University
• Steve Wentworth, President, Foundation Earth, corn and soybean farmer
• Dr. Val Giddings, Vice President for Food and Agriculture, Biotechnology Industry Organization

BIO represents more than 900 companies, academic institutions and state biotech associations  in 47 states and 26 nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental products. 

Company news release
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