Agricultural biotechnology offers benefits to consumers, farmers and the environment. In recent years, scientists have discovered how to improve crop resistance to drought. With many parts of North Carolina presently facing serious water shortages, this trait will become even more valuable in the future. Biotechnology has been the stepping stone to create disease and pest-resistant foods. We can even produce more nutritious food varieties through use of this evolution in technology.
Cattle farmers can now produce beef with the desired fat content that consumers want.
Another important advance has been the creation of food varieties that require less use of crop protection chemicals. In addition, biotechnology now enables scientists to develop all of these positive traits in plants more quickly, than through traditional hybridization. The US President, the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Dept. of Agriculture and the National Academy of Science, all concur that genetically enhanced foods are safe for the public to consume. However, US farmers need public reassurance. They must have dependable markets both here and abroad.