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)

andandV.P. Technology Development -- Delta & Pine Land Co.V.P. Technology Development -- Delta & Pine Land Co.

Seed Industry NeedsSeed Industry Needs1. Eradication of war and violence in our lifetime1. Eradication of war and violence in our lifetime2. “Living wage” earned by all families2. “Living wage” earned by all families

9. Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety process9. Globally-harmonized, rational biosafety process10. 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 sequences104 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 Approvals19941994 SU toleranceSU tolerance1995 1995 Buctril toleranceBuctril tolerance19961996 BollgardBollgard19971997 Roundup ReadyRoundup Ready19981998 BXN-BGBXN-BG199919992000200020012001

nonenonenonenonenonenone

200220022003200320042004

BG2BG2nonenoneLiberty 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 managing they are highly adept at evaluating, appropriately adopting and managing biotech cropsbiotech 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 crops US biotech industry will be encouraged to expand to minor crops and nitch applications for US farmsand nitch applications for US farms

Many of the great technologies already developed by the USDA Many of the great technologies already developed by the USDA and Universities get pulled off the shelf and planted on US farmsand Universities get pulled off the shelf and planted on US 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