U.S. imports of foreign produce have increased sharply over the past decade. Because incidents of food-borne illness are also up, we're asking for legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration the authority to stop produce imports from countries whose standards don't equal ours. Over the next 25 years or so, global population will increase by more than two billion people. That's the equivalent of two more India's or three additional sub-Saharan Africa's. Without biotechnology, we will be forced to exploit highly erodible farm and forest land.
Science is on our side.
Biotechnology holds out the promise of food security by improving disease and pest resistance, increasing tolerance to environmental stress, raising crop yields, and preserving plant and animal diversity. I want to acknowledge Brazil's recent authorization of imports of U.S. gene-modified soybeans for industrial processing. It's this type of progressive action that moves us constantly closer to a food-secure future. Responsible science is not an end in itself. The fact is that none of us can know true food security without a serious commitment to preserving our resources through worldwide sustainable development.