www.whybiotech.com

The Politics of GMOs:Sound Science vs. Sound Bites

Canola Council of CanadaPuerto Vallarta, Mexico

March 23, 2004

2

Thomas Fairchild Fairchild’s mule

Resistance to new technology is not new

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“We have recently advanced our knowledge of genetics to a point where we can manipulate life in a way never intended by nature. We must proceed with the utmost caution in the application of this new-found knowledge.”

— Luther Burbank

Resistance to new technology is not new

1906

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Resistance to new food is not newCoffee was outlawed or restricted in Mecca, Cairo, Istanbul, England, Germany and Sweden

“The body becomes a mere shadow of its former self; it goes into a decline and dwindles away. The heart and guts are so weakened that the drinker suffers delusions, and the body receives such a shock that it is though it were bewitched.”

— French doctors1674

5

Resistance to new food is not new

• Potatoes were believed to cause a variety of diseases, including leprosy, fever, tuberculosis and rickets

• Tomatoes were considered poisonous in the U.S. until 1830

• Colonel Gibbon Johnson ate a “wolf peach” on courthouse steps in New Jersey

• A crowd of 2,000 gathered to witness a suicide

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Drumbeat of negative press

Frankenfoods

Monarch butterfly

StarLink corn and tacos

Mad cow disease

7

CBI vision

Improve people’s understanding and acceptance in order to create a marketplace that allows the world to benefit from the products of agricultural and food biotechnology

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The reach

Mexico

United States

Canada

9

Global affiliates

Africa

Argentina

Australia/New Zealand

Brazil

Chile

Columbia

Europe

India/ Southeast Asia

Japan

Korea

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Sound science vs. sound bites

“Demagoguery beats data in making public policy.”

— Rep. Dick Armey

Former U.S. House Majority Leader

“Facts are stubborn things.”

— John Adams2nd president of the

United States

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Documenting Adoption

12

0

73

0

44.2

54

81

11.9

28.134

25 26

33.9

4.4

40

0

43

16.8

25.5

71

69

61

74.4 75

68

55.8

17

7.4

0

20

40

60

80

100

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Corn Cotton Soybean

Source: USDA, NASS

Per

cent

age

• Canola: 68%

• Corn: 58%

• Soybean: 48%

Biotech crops gain ground with U.S., Canadian farmers

13

27.2

68.7

109.2

145

130

98.6

4.2

167.3

0

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Total Industrial Developing

Global biotech acreage: Double-digit growth for seventh straight year

Source: ISAAA

Acr

es

14

7 million farmers in 18 countries

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Documenting the Benefits

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Economic benefits in the United States

Adoption of six biotech crops has:• Increased annual

production by 4 billion pounds

• Improved farmer income by $1.5 billion

• Reduced pesticide spraying by 46 million pounds

— National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy

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Potential economic benefits in the United States

Adoption of 32 additional cultivars could:• Increase annual production

by 10 billion pounds– Total: 14 billion pounds

• Reduce annual farmer costs by $1 billion

– Total: $2.5 billion

• Reduce annual spraying by 117 million pounds

– Total: 163 million pounds— National Center for Food

and Agricultural Policy

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• No-till acres increased 35 percent to 55 million acres since biotech crops introduced

• Reduces soil erosion 1 billion tons per year• Saves $3.5 billion in water treatment and

waterway maintenance• Saves farmers 309 million gallons of fuel

per year• Improves wildlife habitat

— Conservation Technology Information Center

Environmental benefits: Sparing the plow

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Environmental benefits: A smorgasbord

• Prevent soil erosion by increasing no-till farming practices

• Improve water quality through the use of more benign herbicides

• Improve air quality through no-till farming that reduces greenhouse gas emissions

• Increase biodiversity through more no-till farming• More beneficial insects, more habitat for birds and other wildlife

— Council of Agricultural Science and Technology

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Perception vs. Reality

What do people really think about biotech?

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I know biotechnology exists.I know biotechnology exists.

Awareness Agreement Acceptance

I know at least something about biotechnology.

I know at least something about biotechnology.

I believe biotechnology has important benefits and that the risks are low.

I believe biotechnology has important benefits and that the risks are low.

I accept and support the technology and would be comfortable buying and eating the food.

I accept and support the technology and would be comfortable buying and eating the food.

How research tracks progress

T I M ET I M E

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Overall support steady: Out of sight, out of mind

75%

61%

70%72% 71%

65%

60%

41%

48%

59%

54%50%

48%

30%

47%44% 43%

73%

61%60%58%

49%51%

Mar '00 May '00 July '00 Aug '00 Sept '00 Nov '00 Mar '01 Aug '01 Nov '01 Mar '02 July '02 Nov '02 June '03

Percent support

* The words “and wheat” were added to the question in March 2002

Monarch followed by StarLink

Would you say you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose … using biotechnology to develop new varieties of crops such as cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat or are you neutral?*

Opinion leaders

General public

Gatekeepers

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Agreement with benefits: Trend is positive

74%77% 78%

65%

73% 72%70%

61%

67% 66% 65%

53% 54%

49% 48%

73%

79%

68%

67%61%

61%58% 48%

56%

50%45%

46%

49%51%55%

50%

47%

42%

48%

Mar '00 May '00 July '00 Nov '00 Mar '01 Aug '01 Nov '01 Mar '02 July '02 Nov '02 June '03

General Public

Percent who agree that each is true of biotechnology

New medicines

Feed the world

Hardier crops

Healthier foods

Renewable fuel resources

Fewer pesticides

28 26 2823 21 22 20

2521 19 20

56

5960

56

60

5757575454

50

Mar-00 May-00 Jul-00 Nov-00 Mar-03 Aug-03 Nov-03 Mar-03 Jul-03 Nov-03 Jul-03

DK/Depends Total Agree

+ 6 points%

AGREE

- 8 points% DK/

DEPENDS

“The use of biotechnology in farming will be good for our society in the long term, regardless of what some people say now.”

Total %Agree/

Depends

Consumers have grown more certain about the long term benefits of biotechnology.

29

Canada

30

Agreement with most biotech benefits remains stable

4851 50 51 52 51

53 52 5153

51

42

46

5149

5451 51

54

50

6264

6967

70

6568

6770

77 76

80

76 77 7674

4649

454645

66

70

66 65

6569

71

64

7169

63

6563

7477

74

69

46

35

45

55

65

75

85

Mar-00 Jun-00 Aug-00 Nov-00 Mar-01 Aug-01 Nov-01 Mar-02 Jun-02 Oct-02 Jul-03

Reduces chems Healthier foods Hardier crops More food

New medicines Renewable fuels

New meds

More food

Hardier crops

Less chems

Healthier foods

Renewable fuels

Percent among general public who strongly or somewhat agree

31

35 3533

3638

36 3633

35

40

46 47

42 42 4244 45 46

48 47

3739

20

40

60

Mar-00

Jun-00

Aug-00

Nov-00

Mar-01

Aug-01

Nov-01

Mar-02

Jun-02

Oct-02

Jul-03

Biotech foods increasingly viewed as safe

Safer/safe as other crops/foods

Less safe than other crops/foods

Don’t Know 23 13 -10Depends 2 5 +3Safe/Safer 40 47 +7Less Safe 35 35 0

W1 W11Pt

Chg

Percent among general public who say GM crops are:

32

General Public

39

43

41

44

45

47

44

45

-45

-39

-42

-42

-42

-40

-40

-41

Nov-00

Mar-01

Aug-01

Nov-01

Mar-02

Jun-02

Oct-02

Jul-03

Risks>Benefits Benefits>Risks

Percentage who say biotech benefits outweigh risks is increasing

43

48

53

48

45

51

49

50

-43

-40

-33

-38

-43

-40

-36

-38

Nov-00

Mar-01

Aug-01

Nov-01

Mar-02

Jun-02

Oct-02

Jul-03

Risks>Benefits Benefits>Risks

Opinion Leaders+6 +7

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Consumers prefer biotech sweet corn

“Despite widespread perceptions of consumer concerns regarding the use of genetic engineering in food production, GE varieties outsold conventional sweet corn by a margin of 3:2.”

— University of Guelph Food Safety Network

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Mexico

36

Majority agrees with biotech benefits

Q19a-e: I’m going to read you some statements. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of these, or do you not know?

37

43

39

39

34

37

45

42

42

38

39

50

46

45

40

57

62

78

85

85

Healthier food

Less pesticides

Grows more food

New medicines

Hardier crops

Jun-03Oct-02Jun-02Mar-02

Percent who “strongly” or “somewhat” agree

Caution: Due to sampling change for Wave 4 (Jun-03), cannot make trending statements against Waves 1-3. Wave 4 excludes those not aware of biotechnology.

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‘Benefits only companies’ tops concerns

44

48

51

41

42

40

41

47

49

59

44

45

46

44

50

48

58

39

45

47

39

36

41

52

53

53

57

62

Modify plantsethically wrong

Modify animalsethically wrong

Not regulated enough

Human health

Environment

Not adequately tested

Benefits only Cos.

Jun-03Oct-02Jun-02Mar-02

Percent who “strongly” or “somewhat” agree

Q19f-l: I’m going to read you some statements. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of these, or do you not know?

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Concerns high about overall food safety

Q13: How much, if at all, do you worry that foods you buy might not be safe to eat?

52

54

56

64

36

37

38

26

11

9

6

8

1

2

Mar-02

Jun-02

Oct-02

Jun-03

A great deal Some A little Not at all

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China, Mexico, Brazil and U.S. have most favorable views of biotechnology

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

China Mexico Brazil U.S. Canada Australia GreatBritain

Italy France Germany

Strongly favor Somewhat favor

Per

cent

age

of s

uppo

rt

Source: Environics/GlobeScan

40

Europeans are reassessing their position on biotechnology

Consumers are getting more balanced information:• 2003

– 43 percent heard from opponents

– 41 percent heard from both sides equally

– Only a 2 percent gap in the balance of information

• 2002– 17 percent gap

• 2001– 29 percent gap

Source: ABE, 2003

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Reassessing: Fewer Europeans say biotech crops and foods are less safe

53

17

27

53

4431

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2001 2002 2003

Less safe Don't know

Per

cent

age

of s

uppo

rt

Source: CBI, June 2003

Percentage of people who say biotech crops and foods are less safe than other crops and food.

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Reassessing: More Europeans say “don’t know” when asked if they would buy biotech food

3

15

29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2001 2002 2003

Don't know

Per

cent

age

of r

espo

nden

ts

Source: ABE, June 2003

46

Turning the tide: 2004 headlines

“Doctors 100% behind decision to allow GM maize” – Scotsman.com

“Uganda gives cautious approval to GM food” – SciDev.net

“Chile may expand range of genetically modified products” – Dow Jones

“EU Food Agency clears Monsanto rapeseed” – The Ledger

“GM food crops to be planted in weeks”

– Sydney Morning Herald“China eyes GM food crops to cut

costs” – Reuters“GM cotton farming in SA a success”

– Business Day“Premier for GM foods in Sweden”

– Oresund Food Excellence

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Turning the tide: 2004 headlines

“World biotech plantings increase by 15 pct” – Reuters

“Double-digit record growth continues for biotech crops worldwide, says ISAAA report” – DallasNews.com

“GM technology transforms farming” – Ontario Farmer

“Ontario farmers continue to increase their use of biotechnology” – AgCare

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Challenges Ahead

• Lack of awareness, information

• New product acceptance• Wheat

• Animal biotech

• Trade disputes/market access

• Chronic hunger, poverty

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Jury is still out . . . June 2003

% Heard little/nothing about biotechnology 66

% Benefit Awareness – Don’t know Less Pesticides 39 More food 20 Healthier food 32 Hardier crops 29 Renewable fuels 42

% Agree with concerns – Don’t know Health risks 30 Environmental risks 33 Inadequate testing 33 Inadequate regulations 37

% Safety of biotech foods/crops – Don’t Know 21% Benefits outweigh risks – Don’t Know 19% Good for society in long term – Don’t Know 20% Support GM foods – Neutral 25% Support biotech crops - Neutral 22

Awareness

Benefits

Concerns

Acceptance

50

28%

44%

48%

67%

Heard some or a lot

Heard little or nothing

Develop new varieties of

crops

Genetically modify foods

June ‘03

Support grows with knowledgePercent who support biotech to …

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Council for Biotechnology Information www.whybiotech.com

Helping improve people’s understanding of the benefits of agricultural and food biotechnology

www.whybiotech.com

The Politics of GMOs:Sound Science vs. Sound Bites

Canola Council of CanadaPuerto Vallarta, Mexico

March 23, 2004