The Society of American Florists recently joined with dozens of other groups to help ensure the government has the resources to better inform the public about the role of biotechnology in agricultural production.
Alongside nearly 70 other organizations representing agriculture or engaged in agricultural research, SAF signed a letter sent to members of the House Appropriations Committee which helped defeat an amendment to the agriculture appropriations bill that would have stripped $3 million in funding for biotech consumer education from the bill.
”Biotechnology is an important tool for modern breeding,” said Dr. Marvin Miller, AAF, market research manager at Ball Horticultural in West Chicago, Illinois. “Today, we have the technology to impact a specific gene and can breed for a specific outcome. This is precision that has not been possible using conventional techniques.”
SAF supports biotechnology research as a tool for improving floriculture crops and, in addition, supports research on industrial and environmental applications of biotechnology in areas such as packaging and bioremediation.
Former SAF President and current Research Coordinator for the American Floral Endowment Terril Nell, Ph.D., AAF, noted that biotechnology is simply breeding in the 21st century.
“For years, traditional breeders have pollinated plants to obtain new plants with improved traits —increased growth, larger flowers or disease resistance,” said Nell, professor emeritus at the University of Florida. “Today, biotechnologists are able to bypass that lengthy process of traditional breeding. Biotechnology provides a means to more effectively and more rapidly improve plants.”
Still there has been some division on the issue in Congress. Ranking minority on the House Appropriations Committee Rep. Nita Lowey (D-New York), and author of the amendment, suggested it was not the government’s role to “mount a controlled propaganda campaign” particularly when the science on biotechnology was far from certain. Meanwhile, Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama) opposed the amendment, arguing that federal agencies should play a key role in education.
While SAF supports biotechnology research and its applications for floriculture, the association also encourages development of federal regulatory policies to ensure there are proper standards for safety and quality of biotechnology products.
