Sugar Beet Farmer Explains Benefits of Biotech on Food and the Environment

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Sugar beet farmer explains benefits of biotechnology on food and the environment

Rhonda Steiger, a mom and sugar beet farmer from Bridger, provided an informative talk on GMOs April 12 at the Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative in Huntley.  Steiger began her talk by tackling fears versus facts. The initial fact Steiger stressed is that everything is genetically modified.

“One of the first crosses in the 1700s was a cabbage and a radish,” she said, explaining the difference between selective breeding, artificial selection and genetic engineering. Each method produces the same results—a plant with a desired trait.

“With selective breeding, not only do you get the good traits, but you get the bad,” Steiger explains.  “It can take years to find the perfect cross and many of the foods we enjoy today are the result of selective breeding.”

She noted that artificial selection uses what’s called mutagenesis, a process of using chemicals and irradiation to ‘force’ a gene to mutate.  “Mutagenesis has been used for 75 years.  It has been used to create over 2,200 crop varieties which have been introduced to our food supply,” Steiger said, adding that mutagenesis is approved for conventional and organic agriculture. (One example is the Ruby Red Grapefruit.)

“Genetic Engineering (GE) or precision breeding is the most technologically advanced plant breeding technique known today. This is what most people are referring to when they think of GMOs. Simply put, genetic engineering is a process of adding one more gene to the plant for a particular trait,” Steiger said. “We have been using GE technology for 18 years. Currently eight crops are the direct result of GE.  They are alfalfa, canola, cotton, corn, soybean, papaya, squash and sugar beets.”

Steiger noted that ag products using selective breeding or mutagenisis do not have to be tested and approved; however, GE traits are the only traits that are tested by the FDA. 

GE crops go through a coordinated framework of review by the FDA, USDA and EPA and are the most tested products to enter into the U.S. food supply. The majority of scientists and groups such as the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the World Health Organization and the European Commission all agree that GE crops and foods are safe.

She pointed out that the latest GE crops waiting approval are the Arctic apple that doesn’t turn brown, and a potato that doesn’t bruise. Also on tap is corn that is drought resistant and Southern Garden Citrus which will eliminate what’s called citrus greening, a disease that is devastating citrus crops in Florida.

“More than 80 percent of consumers view GE foods as unsafe,” noted Steiger.  Yet, beet sugar from GE beets has no differences than non-GE cane sugar. “There is no Roundup residue found in beet sugar. If a cow eats beet pulp, there is no difference in the meat of a cow that hasn’t eaten beet pulp.”

Steiger says that because of GE sugar beets, her family has eliminated tillage, thus conserving 3200 gallons of fuel. Using no-till also helps the soil to retain water and eliminates herbicide runoff.

“It’s interesting that most consumers believe organic means not using pesticides, but there are 470 pesticides used on organic crops and 100 of those aren’t approved in the U.S.,” Stieger said, explaining that the difference with non-organic pesticides is that they’re synthetic with a manufactured ingredient.

As for labeling of GMOs, a group discussion following the talk expressed grave concern that the cost of implementing strict labeling laws could put small producers and small food manufacturers out of business.

“Farmers need to use the best technology to get their job of growing food done. There are non-science activists trying to scare people about biotechnology. It’s up to farmers to speak up and talk about the benefits of planting GE crops,” Steiger concluded.



Source:  Montana Farm Bureau Federation




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