On February 28th 2013 members of the Footprint Forum met to debate the topic of GM and frame the issue in the context of sustainability and sustainable supply chains.

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GM: CONTEMPTIBLE OR INEVITABLE?
28th FEBRUARY 2013

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3. Barbara J. Stephenson
Deputy Chief of Mission
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4. Jim Neel
Economic Officer, U.S. State Department
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5. Nick Fenwicke-Clennell
CEO
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6. Jack A. Bobo
Senior Advisor for Biotechnology
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7. AGRICULTURE
before
it
DESTROYS
it?
save
the
planet…
Can

8. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
The size of South America and Africa
More than 40% of earth’s land
has been cleared for agriculture

9. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
70 percent of fresh water
used in agriculture

10. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Virtual Water Trade

11. 70% of fresh water
used for agriculture
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Aral
Sea
1973
Aral
Sea
Today

12. Like
the
Colorado
River,
which
no
longer
flows
to
the
ocean
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Rivers and lakes
are running dry

13. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Agriculture and deforestation together generate
about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
Agriculture is among the biggest
contributors to climate change

14. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Together,
these
represent
more
emissions
than
from
nearly
any
other
industry

15. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
20509 billion
Global
Population
Growth
5 1990
7 billion 2010
20308 billion

16. That’s
About
the
number
of
people
in
Germany
75
million
more
people
each
year
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

17. We
all
need
to
eat
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

18. And
yet
almost1
billion
don’t
have
enough
food
today
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

19. And
yet
almost1
billion
don’t
have
enough
food
today
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index.html

20. 60%
more
food
by
2050,
using…
Less land
Less water
Less fertilizer
Fewer pesticides
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

21. According
to
the
UN
Food
and
Agriculture
OrganizaDon
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
How
is
the
challenge
?
the
world
needs
to
produce
more
food
between
2000
and
2050
10,000
years
than was
produced
during
the
previous
big

22. Can organic agriculture get
us where we need to be?
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
15-20%
growth
35 million
hectares
today
Global
Agricultural
Land
Global Organic
Land
0.9 % of total
agricultural
land

23. Organic
Average
Conventional
Average
Source: Nature, 2012
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Can organic agriculture get
us where we need to be?
34 % lower
yields under
most conditions
Organic
production
66%
conventional
yield

24. Competing World Views
Slow
Food
Fast
Food
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

25. Different Voices
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

26. Different Choices
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Brazil
2019

27. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

28. What the future looks like
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

29. Global Trade
Source: Washington Post
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

30. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Europe’s Food Footprint
An Area the Size
of Germany

31. We Need Technology
Source: USDA/ERS
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Wheat Production
Plateaus

32. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Sustainably Applied

33. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
What do they have in common?

34. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
What do they have in common?

35. Right to Save Seed?
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Farmers choose seedless
and hybrid varieties over
saved seed when it makes
economic sense

36. How do you get a
seedless watermelon?
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Two sets of
chromosomes
Treat seeds with
toxic chemical
(colchicine)
Four sets of
chromosomes
Three sets of
chromosomes
X
=
Sterile
seedless
melon

37. Mutagenesis
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
According to the FAO/IAEA Mutant Variety Database, there are 3218
varieties released officially or commercially around the world.

38. Risk Spectrum
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Source: National Academy of Sciences

39. What do they have in
common?
Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
None
of
these
products
would
be
approved
today
if
held
to
the
same
standard
as
biotechnology

40. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Global Status of GE Crops

41. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State

42. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Why are farmers adopting biotech crops?

43. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Why are farmers adopting biotech crops?
Improved
Yields
Fewer
Pesticides
Reduced
Greenhouse
Gases
Improved
Nutrition
Less Soil
Erosion
Less Water
5% Increase in corn yields – U.S.
24% Increase – Philippines
10% Increase in cotton yields – U.S.
55% Increase – India
19.3 billion kg of carbon dioxide
savings in 2010
443 million kg of active ingredients
since 1996 (9% reduction)
Reduced tillage saves top soil
Low till and no till reduces
evaporation
Drought tolerance

44. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
“Only when the best technology is combined
with the best agricultural practices will we
achieve truly sustainable agriculture.”

45. Jack A. Bobo | Senior Advisor for Biotechnology | U.S. Department of State
Jack
A.
Bobo,
JD,
MS
Chief,
Biotechnology
and
Tex4le
Trade
Policy
Division
Senior
Advisor
for
Biotechnology
202-­‐647-­‐1647
boboja@state.gov

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47. Professor Ian Crute CBE
Chief Scientist
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49. the panel..
Charles Bourns
Farmer, Member of the National Farmer's Union Poultry Board and
President of the EU Commission's Egg and Poultry Advisory Group
Dr Sandy Lawrie
Head of Novel Foods, Food Standards Agency
Andy Milner
Procurement and Supply Chain Director, Westbury Street Holdings
Nicole Patterson
Principal Analyst, Leatherhead Food Research
Paul Rooke
Head of Policy, External Relations, Agriculture Industries Confederation
Moderator: Adam Taub
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