Stakeholder Comments on Stakeholder Comments on Needs and OpportunitiesNeeds and Opportunities
Kater HakeKater HakeUSDA-ATAC (Ag. Technical Advisory Comm. -- Seeds)USDA-ATAC (Ag. Technical Advisory Comm. -- Seeds)
ISF (International Seed Federation -- Industrial Crops)ISF (International Seed Federation -- Industrial Crops)
ASTA (Am. Seed Trade Assoc. -- Int. Exec. Comm.)ASTA (Am. Seed Trade Assoc. -- Int. Exec. Comm.)
ICAC (Int. Cotton Adv. Comm. -- Biotech Expert Panel)ICAC (Int. Cotton Adv. Comm. -- Biotech Expert Panel)
andand
V.P. Technology Development -- Delta & Pine Land Co.V.P. Technology Development -- Delta & Pine Land Co.
Seed Industry NeedsSeed Industry Needs
1. Eradication of war and violence in our lifetime1. Eradication of war and violence in our lifetime
2. “Living wage” earned by all families2. “Living wage” earned by all families
9. Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety process9. Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety process
10. Pipeline of beneficial technologies and tools10. Pipeline of beneficial technologies and tools
Biotech PipelineBiotech Pipeline Research into potential new products is hugeResearch into potential new products is huge Frequency of commercial release is paltry.Frequency of commercial release is paltry.
105 gene sequences
104 gene functions
103 transgenes
1 commercialproduct per year
103
101
104
105
102
adapted from Daphne Pruess at the Plant Biotechnology Gordon Conf., 2/18/2003.
US Biotech Cotton ApprovalsUS Biotech Cotton Approvals
19941994 SU toleranceSU tolerance
1995 1995 Buctril toleranceBuctril tolerance
19961996 BollgardBollgard
19971997 Roundup ReadyRoundup Ready
19981998 BXN-BGBXN-BG
19991999
20002000
20012001
nonenone
nonenone
nonenone
20022002
20032003
20042004
BG2BG2
nonenone
Liberty toleranceLiberty tolerance
Globally-harmonized, rational Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety processbiosafety process
US must lead by exampleUS must lead by example USDA-ARS is logical institution to provide expertiseUSDA-ARS is logical institution to provide expertise US farmers will be prime beneficiariesUS farmers will be prime beneficiaries
– they are highly adept at evaluating, appropriately adopting and they are highly adept at evaluating, appropriately adopting and managing biotech cropsmanaging biotech crops
– they will get rapid access to profit enhancing technologythey will get rapid access to profit enhancing technology– their global competitiveness will be enhancedtheir global competitiveness will be enhanced
US seed sector will be encouraged to grow their breeding with US seed sector will be encouraged to grow their breeding with novel traits suited for US farmsnovel traits suited for US farms
US biotech industry will be encouraged to expand to minor US biotech industry will be encouraged to expand to minor crops and nitch applications for US farmscrops and nitch applications for US farms
Many of the great technologies already developed by the Many of the great technologies already developed by the USDA and Universities get pulled off the shelf and planted on USDA and Universities get pulled off the shelf and planted on US farmsUS farms
Globally-harmonized, rational Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety processbiosafety process
Smarter minds than mine will design the road mapSmarter minds than mine will design the road map Design research with regulatory agency input to Design research with regulatory agency input to
resolve issues, not create new ones (unless resolve issues, not create new ones (unless legitimate concern)legitimate concern)
Start with easy crops, such as cottonStart with easy crops, such as cotton– self pollinatedself pollinated– non-food crop, except oil which is protein freenon-food crop, except oil which is protein free– non-weedy with geographically isolated wild relativesnon-weedy with geographically isolated wild relatives
Build data to move away from “one size fits all” Build data to move away from “one size fits all” – certain pharmaceutical crops have unknown riskscertain pharmaceutical crops have unknown risks– risks associated with established GM crops are knownrisks associated with established GM crops are known
A rational biosafety approval process A rational biosafety approval process is a bridge between plant biology is a bridge between plant biology research and human benefitresearch and human benefit
Once constructed, diverse and Once constructed, diverse and powerful technologies can passpowerful technologies can pass
Facilitates all sorts of traffic: Facilitates all sorts of traffic: technology, communication, financial technology, communication, financial resources and political supportresources and political support
Without bridges, communities drift Without bridges, communities drift apartapart
Environmental and social benefits Environmental and social benefits from GM cotton have been hugefrom GM cotton have been huge
Benefits from future GM Benefits from future GM cotton traits could be just as cotton traits could be just as
substantialsubstantial