U.S. Agriculture Secretary Defends Genetically Modified Foods

There is this interview that the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Mike Johanns, gave to China’s People’s Daily newspaper.

In the interview, Johanns highlighted two issues that I consider to be of paramount relevance to developing countries. First, he strongly defended genetically modified foods. This is what he said in a response to a question on their safety:

We have a regulatory process that these products go through. At the end of
the regulatory process, if they are what we call deregulated, I am very, very
confident in saying that they are safe, safe for human beings, safe from the
environmental standpoint, safe for animals. Genetically modified products are
quite common in the United States. In our country because of our safety record
in this area, people are very willing and open to genetically modified products,
very willing to use them.

Here is what I want to say, again just to be very candid: farmers do want
the latest technology. Safe genetically modified products are really changing
the world. They feed hungry people. They allow farmers to be more productive on
the same amount of land. Countries who deny access to their farmers are leaving
their farmers behind. Very very truly their farmers will find it very difficult
to compete in the world marketplace. We are very, very close to products that,
literally by the inclusion of an additional element in the food supply, may
prevent blindness of children. What country would not want that? If we can grow
rice with that here in the United States, and do so safely, and provide that to
children, then rice farmers in another part of the world will be left behind if
they can’t do that. So I think more and more you are going to see farmers’
demand of their countries that this “take it or leave it “attitude should change
and it will change.

Secondly, Johanns announced that the U.S. would reduce agricultural subsidies to its farmers, to enable other countries, especially those in the developing world, to access its market for agricultural goods.

It’s encouraging to hear Johanns defend genetically modified foods. As the U.S. Agriculture secretary, Johanns is held in high esteem not only by Americans, but the whole world. His assurance on the safety of genetically modified foods should placate fears that they pose threats on human health and the environment.

Johanns’ position carries enormous responsibility. Part of it is to safeguard scientific innovations against uninformed and misplaced criticism by anti-technology activists. This is exactly what Johanns is doing when he defends genetically modified foods.

Note that Johanns is a technocrat, not a politician. So, when upholds the widely held argument that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, he does so on the basis of good advice from government and private sector scientists. No one, therefore, should attempt to politicize Johanns’ latest assertion that genetically modified are safe.

On the issue of agricultural subsidies, Johanns must, as a matter of urgency, match his words with deeds. Agricultural subsidies should actually be removed, not reduced. They are a major contributor to poverty in developing countries.

Farm subsidies and the politics of genetically modified crops are two intertwined issues. Since genetically modified crops yield high, food surplus is likely to occur in countries that are growing them. The removal of agricultural subsidies will guarantee farmers in such countries good prices for their genetically modified products.

It’s the highest level of hypocrisy for the U.S. to encourage farmers in developing countries to grow high yielding genetically modified crops without guaranteeing them markets for their produce.

The U.S. by reducing agricultural subsidies to its farmers will be making a small but significant step in encouraging farmers in other countries to embrace genetically modified foods.