The conference was promoted as a program to assist farmers in deciding whether to go ahead with biotechnology. However, alternatives were practically ignored. Biotech proponents who dominated the conference painted the usual portrait of biotechnology being crucial to feeding the world. However, Ann Clark, PhD, Associate Professor of Crop Science at the University of Guelph, explained that high tech agriculture only feeds the wealthy.
Biotechnology is expensive.
Also, high tech agriculture has displaced native farmers and destroyed their livelihood. Nettie Wiebe, from the National Farmers Union, illustrated that biotechnology can result in more use of toxic chemicals and damage the environment, counter to industry claims. Her neighbour had to spray with additional toxic chemicals to kill her herbicide resistant canola, following a hail storm. Biotech advocates claimed that biotech crops are well researched before being approved. However, they admitted there are no standard procedures for assessing the environmental impact of genetically engineered crops.