Good for Consumers

Nutritional Value

Researchers are creating ways to boost the nutritional value of foods using biotechnology.

For example, each year as many as 250,000 children in developing nations are afflicted with childhood blindness as a result of a lack of vitamin A in their diets. Through biotechnology, beta-carotene was added to rice to address this health crisis, which enhances the vitamin A content of rice. That nutritional benefit can drastically improve the public health of nations that depend on rice as their primary staple.

Feeding the World

Over 8 million farmers benefit from growing biotech crops today.

"Notably, 90 percent of these 8.25 million farmers benefiting from biotech crops in 2004 were resource-poor farmers planting (biotech) cotton, whose increased incomes have contributed to the alleviation of poverty."

(International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, 2004)

Included are 7 million farmers in China, 300,000 small farmers in India and in many other developing countries where biotech crops were planted in 2004.

Low Cost

Biotech crops provide farmers the ability to cut production costs - including product and fuel-related expenses, reduced labor requirements for farmers as well as equipment wear-and-tear expenses. With increased resources, farmers are able to work on ways to improve their crops. Those crop enhancements ultimately benefit consumers and the environment.

"Biotech crops are also delivering benefits to consumers and society at large, through more affordable food, feed and fiber."

(International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, 2004)

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