Sugar, Food Safety, Sustainability & GMOs - Exploring a Complicated Landscape

In a presentation to the 2017 U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Outlook Forum, Val Giddings presents on biotechnology and how it has delivered significant innovations to improve the economics and sustainability of sugar production through improved sugar beets, and is poised to do the same with sugar cane. Opponents of agricultural innovation have bullied some food companies to avoid sugar from genetically modified beets, but their widespread benefits and the negative economic and logistical impacts created by such deselection create powerful incentives favoring their use. Market forces are aligned with science and experience in strongly favoring the improved beet seeds already delivered through biotechnology, as well as the improved cane varieties, and further innovations in the pipeline.