Agricultural Biotechnology

Our position

Over the course of the 20th century, agriculture went through a mechanical and chemical revolution. Tractors replaced horses, mules, and oxen. Fertilizer replaced manure. Pesticides and herbicides reduced labor needs. Yields skyrocketed. But, in developed economies with years of access to these technologies, productivity growth is slowing. Gene editing and other genetic engineering approaches can jumpstart growth, improving farmer incomes, and helping grow more food on less land, and reducing environmental impacts. However, scaling agricultural biotechnologies to the enormous diversity of crops and farms will require an overhaul of burdensome regulatory review and permitting processes.

Questions

Are GMOs bad for you?

No. Decades of research have found no evidence that approved genetically modified foods are inherently less safe to eat than conventionally bred foods. Genetic engineering is a tool, not a health risk in itself. GMO crops can also improve yields, nutrition, and resilience while reducing some environmental impacts of agriculture.

Is gene-edited food safe to eat?

Scientific reviews find no evidence that gene-edited foods are inherently riskier than conventionally bred foods. Gene editing makes targeted DNA changes, some of which can occur naturally. Safety assessments consider the resulting food’s nutritional composition, potential toxicity, allergenicity, and unintended effects.

Why are GMOs controversial?

GMOs became controversial amid concerns about food safety, environmental impacts, corporate control of agriculture, and the ethics of altering genes. Opposition has also been shaped by organic and natural-food movements that favor less technological intervention in food production.

What foods are genetically modified?

Many people regularly eat GMO-derived ingredients without realizing it because corn, soy, canola, and sugar beet ingredients are common in processed foods. Genetic engineering is already a routine part of the American food system.