|
|
William F. Kirk, group vice president of DuPont Biosolutions Enterprise, delivered the 2000 D.W. Brooks Lecture, “The 21st Century: An Agricultural Odyssey,” on Oct. 2. Some highlights:
“Transforming the world’s food supply by ensuring the quality and quantity of nutrition per acre is truly a massive undertaking; however, agriculture is no stranger to change. Production agriculture has been shaped by scientific breakthroughs that have brought hybrid seed, fertilizer and sophisticated crop-protection chemicals to the farm.”
“I believe we are standing at the threshold to a new age of agriculture, the dimensions of which can only be partially appreciated at this point.”
“Our industry has been accustomed to incremental change as the population grew, but we now face constant step changes, which are measured in months, not decades.”
“We believe biotechnology will be one of the most powerful tools at our disposal for sustainable growth in the 21st century. It offers flexibility to create products that are safe, affordable to most people in the world, and it is critical that we be responsive to people’s concerns.”
“The whole scientific and commercial culture of biotechnology with its potential benefits and potential risks must be made more transparent, more accessible and more understandable to the public and society at large. . . . There must be clearly defined boundaries to guide how this powerful technology is developed and used.”
“Today, nutrition and health benefits beyond those available in foods are provided to society through pharmaceuticals and vitamin supplements. In the future, the potential exists to provide these benefits to a greater part of the world, at significantly lower cost, through foods.” |
|
