Embassy Press Release

Welcoming Remarks Delivered by The Ambassador of the United States of America, Nicholas F. Taubman, On the Occasion of The Biotechnology Workshop

September 18, 2007
At the Romanian Academy
Bucharest, Romania

Mr. Haiduc, Mr. Tabara, State Secretary Ms. Harabagiu,
Members of the diplomatic corps;
Members of the Romanian Academy;
Esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It is my pleasure to welcome you to a workshop on a very important topic, biotechnology. Thank you for taking the time to be with us here today and to talk about this extremely important subject, which is also of controversy, disagreement and some politics too, I think, which always becomes involved in matters of this nature.

Many of you here today are farmers. As you know, the tools of the farmer are ever advancing and improving. From the horse drawn plow to the tractor, farmers are always looking for tools that are more efficient and help them provide better value at lower cost for the consumer.

For both consumers and producers in Romania, there are benefits as well. Biotechnology can lower production costs and produce food that is safe, healthy, and less dependent on herbicides and pesticides. For the Romanian household this means that there would be more nutritious food on the table and more money in your pocket.

Biotechnology, however, is not a new tool. Farmers have been altering the genetic makeup of the crops they grow for thousands of years. The domesticated fruits and vegetables we enjoy today are larger, sweeter, have greater nutritional value, and grow faster because of the efforts of generations of farming engineers. Now this process has evolved to the point where scientists can use biotechnology to fine tune their efforts to significantly boost food production and reduce the impact of pests, diseases, and drought. The drought that afflicted Romania in this past spring and summer was one that was catastrophic financially to farmers. There is no such thing as a drought-proof genetically crop, but there are ones that survive much better than others, and I submit that for your consideration as you listen to the seminar today.

Every year, over 40% of the world’s food crop is lost every year to pests, disease, drought, and spoilage that biotechnology could help prevent. The most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to address this problem is to use, in a safe and regulated way, a 100% organic, all natural material: DNA. The alternative solutions are not pleasant to think about: do we increase the amount of farmland by opening up parks and wilderness areas, or increase our reliance on chemical herbicides and pesticides, or will we have increasing competition for scarce food resources which could lead to lower standards of living and wide-spread hunger? These are not good choices.

So we have invited today leading experts in the field that will address the economic, social, and environmental benefits of agricultural biotechnology, including Dr. Newell-McGloughlin, Director of the University of California Biotechnology Program; Mr. Curt Raasch, an American farmer and former Chair of the United Soybean Board; and Mr. Jorge de Saja Gonzales from Spain, General Director of the Spanish Feed Producers Federation.

While they will leave you with a wealth of information, allow me to share with you one example that illustrates how biotechnology has improved the lives of the people back in my home state of Virginia.

In many ways, farmers in Virginia share some of the same challenges. Plot sizes in Virginia are small so farmers have to maximize efficiency to be profitable, same as here in Romania, and farmers and citizens alike are concerned about run-off into our big bodies of waters, such as the Chesapeake Bay, just as Romanians are concerned about run-off into the Black Sea Basin and the Danube River. In Virginia, biotechnology has helped make insect pest, disease and weed control safer and easier. Soy farmers in my home state have been cultivating genetically engineered pesticide and herbicide-tolerant crops that have allowed for a significant reduction in the use of chemicals that could contaminate the groundwater and the Chesapeake Bay. Farmers are also able to use herbicides that are non-toxic to wildlife and human beings. At the same time, yields have increased, allowing small-plot farmers to improve their bottom line.

I don’t want to give you the idea that genetically-modified seed and foods are unique to Romania – they are not. Farmers have used genetically modified crops for many years. After January 1, 2007, the European Union prohibited genetically modified seed, except for a few categories that they set aside. We submit that is a choice that is not a good one and we will submit facts and some reasons today that we hope you will find reasonable for your consideration.

My hope today is that you will find information from this conference to be another useful tool, a tool that cuts through the misinformation and allows you to make decisions based on science, experience, and facts. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions of the experts we have gathered here today.

American farmers and consumers have seen the benefits from agricultural biotechnology for many years. Millions of Americans have safely enjoyed genetically modified produce. I am confident that through the science of biotechnology, Romania could benefit just as America has, resulting in a more robust, profitable, and safe agricultural sector. Thank you for your attention and participation in today’s workshop.

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