Discussions regarding agricultural biotechnology usually take on a futuristic tone.
Nutritionally enhanced foods that are in the developmental pipeline are often offered up as examples of the promise of agricultural biotechnology. The reality is that U.S. farmers already have planted a significant portion of our nation's cropland with genetically engineered cultivars, particularly in grain and textile crops that dominate our farm acreage. Much of the processed food in our supermarkets today contains ingredients, such as oils and proteins, that are derived from these crops. Many of our dairy and meat livestock have been raised on genetically engineered feeds. Weeds, disease organisms and insects have plagued crop production for centuries, and they will always need to be controlled.