Agricultural Biotechnology and the Environment: Perspectives on the Next 10 Years

The revolution in agricultural biotechnology has led to many changes, including the widespread use of corn, cotton, and soybeans that are genetically modified to resist herbicides; regulatory approval of rice fortified with vitamin A and virus-resistant papayas; and the development of drought-resistant wheat. Although US regulators do not mandate the labeling of genetically modified (GM) foods that are substantially equivalent to preexisting foods, the European Union, Australia, and China do require labels on food from GM crops. The next wave of GM products—foods from animals designed for faster growth, disease resistance, or reduced environmental impact—may be near. Panelists at this seminar analyzed how concerns over labeling of food from GM animals may affect the marketing, development, and economic viability of such innovative products.

This event is part of Resources 2020, a yearlong exploration of how economic inquiry can address future environmental and natural resource challenges. RFF invites you to help celebrate its 60th anniversary by joining a dialogue aimed at developing practical policy solutions for these critical issues in the next decade. Learn more at www.rff.org/resources2020.

Moderator:

Randall Lutter​, RFF Visiting Scholar and former Deputy Commissioner for Policy, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Panelists:

Nina Fedoroff, Distinguished Professor, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; and Evan Pugh Professor, Pennsylvania State University 

Doug Gurian-Sherman, Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists

William McConagha, Sidley Austin LLP, formerly of the FDA

James Murray, Department of Animal Science and Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis 

Pauline Ippolito, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission