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Both sides of biotechnology argument should be brought to light

The biotechnology project director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest says it’s important to shed light on both sides of the biotechnology story.

“It’s not all good or all bad,” said Gregory Jaffe, during an interview with Brownfield Ag News, “it’s how you use that technology.”  It’s a myth, said Jaffe, that there are safety issues with foods derived from genetically modified ingredients.

“I think there’s no evidence whatsoever that the foods made from those crops are unsafe, and I think there’s a growing international consensus about that,” said Jaffe, following a presentation to the National Outstanding Young Farmer Awards Congress on Saturday in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

On the other hand, Jaffe says that while herbicide tolerant crop systems can be produced sustainably, recent history has proven there are still lessons being learned.

“We have a significant number of glyphosate resistant weeds that have developed that the sole cause of those being developed has been overuse and misuse of genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant seeds with the corresponding herbicide, glyphosate,” said Jaffe.

Jaffe is confident that scientific facts will prevail in the arguments between those at opposite ends of the biotechnology issue.

AUDIO: Gregory Jaffe (4 min. MP3)