The industry has shown both growth and promise, but setbacks have hurt public confidence.

The agricultural biotechnology industry has grown rapidly as a result of the tremendous advancements in gene and protein manipulation technologies. According to a study carried out for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (www.bio.org/news/ernstyoung.pdf), in 1999 the sector generated 21,900 jobs and $2.3 billion in revenue. This was only 13 years after the first field tests were initiated for genetically engineered plants (tobacco).

Figure 1. Adoption of Some Genetically Modified Varieties in the U.S. Bt: contains Bacillus thuringiensis gene, which expresses a natural insecticide protein. RR: Roundup Ready, tolerant to Roundup herbicide. Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy report, “Updated Benefits Estimates,” January 2001 (Available at www.ncfap.org/pup/biotech/updatedbenefits.pdf)

However, the industry is still undergoing significant growing pains. There are major public concerns over the safety and environmental effects of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and with the manner in which companies and governments are dealing with these issues. Although the cultivation of several GM varieties, such as corn, cotton, and soybeans, has become reasonably significant in the United States (in terms of percent acreage), other crops, like potatoes, have yet to really catch on (Figure 1).Moreover, incidents that put economic strains on many farmers, such as last year’s recall of products that were believed to contain GM StarLink corn (with the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene, which expresses Cry9C, a pesticidal protein), indicate the possibilities of a decline in usage of GM crops. To create a more stable market, public confidence must be improved. For more on the public controversy of GM foods and regulatory responses, see “Genetically Modified Foods” in Today’s Chemist at Work [May 2001, p 49].

Despite these concerns, positive results have already been reaped from GM crops. For instance, the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (www.ncfap.org/pup/biotech/updatedbenefits.pdf) estimates that

• 66 million bushels of corn were saved from the corn borer in 1999 through the use of Bt (insect-resistant) GM corn,
• a decrease of about 2.7 million pounds of insecticide has been achieved annually since the introduction of Bt cotton, and
• weed control costs were cut by $216 million in 1999 through the use of herbicide-tolerant soybeans.

Only time will tell how far biotechnology will take the world, in terms of food production improvements. Companies certainly are pushing ahead in the development of new products that will likely shape the future of the industry. For example, from January through March 2001, 560 requests for field test permits were submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than half the number submitted in the whole year of 2000 (http://gophisb.biochem.vt.edu/cfdocs/ISBtables.cfm).

Further Reading

1. Information Systems for Biotechnology, http://gophisb.biochem.vt.edu/index.html.
2. Biotechnology Industry Organization, www.bio.org.
3. C&RL NewsNet 1997, 8 (11); www.ala.org/acrl/resdec97.html.

David Filmore is a staff editor with Today’s Chemist at Work. Send your comments or questions regarding this article to tcaw@acs.org or the Editorial Office 1155 16th St N.W., Washington, DC 20036.