| Published in the Des Moines Register, Tuesday, January 25, 2000 (reprinted
courtesy of the D.M. Register)
Educate
the public on GMO benefits
While the battle over GM food may be temporarily lost in Europe, it's
just beginning in the U.S.
By Lou Honary
American
agribusiness is confronted with a crisis over Europe’s rejection
of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). A diverse
group of European environmentalists attempting to attack genetic engineering
in humans somewhat accidentally ran into an easier target: GM foods.
Others, such as those European farmers who grow organic food, threatened
by GM crops, pitched in to encourage an all out ban of GM foods.
Before leaving for World Trade Organization’s November meeting,
Senator Charles Grassley chastised European farmers of taking advantage
of consumers to block imports of American crops in Europe. Using fear
of the unknown, the environmentalists persuaded European consumers to
say no to GM foods without regard for the need to improve production
for a growing world population.
Now, some environmentalists like Washington activist Jeremy Rifkin,
predict that the European strategy will work in the U.S. In fact, he
claims it’s already a "done deal."
While the battle over GM food may be temporarily lost in Europe, it’s
just beginning in the U.S. Agribusiness and awakened U.S. farmers have
realized they must move quickly to counter the scare tactic used in
Europe by investing in public education and by highlighting the benefits
of biotech, the long-term success of GM foods and GMO-based pharmaceuticals.
Researchers at the University of Northern Iowa’s Ag-Based Industrial
Lubricants (ABIL) Research Program have been testing GM vegetable oils
as a petroleum substitute in industrial lubricants for nine years.
Unmentioned by many environmentalists, researchers have found diverse
uses for GM seed oils in non-food areas. Thus negating the impact of
human health scare tactics. If the impact on human health is not an
issue, then other issues will be much less effective in building opposition
to GM crops.
The market size for industrial and automotive lubricants is about 2.5
billion gallons per year, or about 60 million acres of soybeans. If
1-percent soydiesel were mixed with every gallon of the several billion
gallons of diesel fuel sold each year that would utilize millions more
acres of soybeans.
Millions of gallons of petroleum-based transformer cooling oil can easily
be replaced with environmentally friendly GM crop oils. These products
already exist on the market. Conclusion: we can grow as many GM crops
as we need or want and have markets for them in the non-food arena.
UNI-ABIL research has shown that high-oleic varieties of GM soybeans
are best for hydraulic and transformer cooling fluids, while high-palmetic
varieties, for example, are great for lubricating greases. The genetically
modified varieties actually reduce the need for chemical additives needed
in many lubricants. They are renewable, biodegradable and less toxic.
They actually help preserve the environment and are in line with the
mission of many environmental groups.
During this decade, farmers will grow "identity preserved" GM crops geared to non-food markets. One farmer may grow GM soybeans
for production of automotive bearing grease, while another will grow
high-linolenic varieties for soy ink or soy adhesive. Farmers will grow
GM crops for biodegradable plastics, biobased particleboard and or plant
based paper. All of this is in support of environmentally sound progress.
What about the immediate future? That is a tough one. GM crops will
probably take a beating this coming growing season. Farmers are confused
and worried about the news of the GMO battle in Europe. What is grown
will have to be earmarked for pre-determined non-food use and/or for
markets that are open, such as U.S. and non-European countries.
With a concerted effort by growers and agribusiness to educate the public,
diversification in new non-food uses, and a bit of time to recover Europe,
GM crops can become a major source of food, fiber and pharmaceuticals
for a world with growing needs. In time, the world will thank American
farmers and agribusiness for improving production and speeding the natural
modification of these crops.
Focusing on non-food will also flush out the radicals who insist on
taking a closed-minded approach.
People around the world already are benefiting from GMOs used in biopharmaceuticals
and biobased lubricants.
We can’t allow misguided scare tactics to delay or divert research
and marketing of legitimate products that will boost the American farm
economy and help meet the food, fiber and health needs of a growing
world.
Lou Honary is a University of Northern Iowa associate professor and
Ag-Based Industrial Lubricants (ABIL) Research Program director.
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