Norman Borlaug’s Granddaughter Continues Mission

by

During the 2014 Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum, Norman Borlaug’s granddaughter addressed the crowd.  Julie Borlaug is the Director for External Relations at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture. 

 

When telling the crowd about her grandfather, Julie wanted to emphasize that Norman Borlaug was human.  When driving that point home, she explained, “I’m an identical twin.  We used to wash his hair and curl it.” 

 

She continued on to explain why science isn’t an option but rather a necessity in agriculture.  While biotechnology won’t erase hunger, it helps.  As advocates for biotechnology, she says that farmers and ranchers need to change how we discuss the topic.

 

How do we do that?  It must be simplified.

 

We need to make the discussion more about emotion and less about science.  She explained that we’re often talking to moms that believe everything they see on Facebook and to people that are anti-corporate until it comes to their Apple iPhone.  In order to reach them, we need to talk what they know.  If we see Ug99 devastate wheat crops throughout the world, for them that means no bread for lunch, no pasta for dinner, and no flour for birthday cakes.  Or, if it is available, it’s going to be at an extremely elevated price.  If we can create a GMO wheat variety that is resistant, we’ve saved ourselves from that problem.

 

She says it’s important to discuss biotechnology by telling people what GMOs aren’t.  They aren’t processed food.  They don’t cause obesity.  They aren’t responsible for the dye in your children’s macaroni and cheese and they don’t cause infertility, autism, ADHD, or celiac disease.  She agreed with a comment from the crowd that using the term “GMO” can be counterproductive because such a fear factor has already been linked to that acronym.

 

As for labeling biotech products, Borlaug said that it is the public’s conclusion that if we’re not labeling it, we’re hiding something.  She says that’s absolutely not the case.  However, if you’re going to ask for this one sector of agriculture to open itself up for labeling, we have to ask that of every sector.

 

In addressing food aid in her closing comments, she reflected that she doesn’t agree with it.  She says we’re creating dependency and gutting their markets if they have them.

 

 

Northern Ag Network Note:  For updates from the Bayer Ag Issues Forum and Commodity Classic in San Antonio this week, follow Northern Ag Network on Twitter and Facebook.  

 

 

© Northern Ag Network 2014

Haylie Shipp

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x