I. Timeline! Seeds of Change:

A nice resource: Transgenic Crops

1980: First transgenic plants. The Birth of Plant Biotech.

II. Questions for this week and next:

What are GM crops and how do you make them?

Why do we need GM crops? Three reasons.

What Biotech companies are at the forefront of Ag-Biotech Crop production? [Image]

What Regulatory Processes exist for GM Crops?

What are the issues surrounding GM Foods - real or imagined?

Environmental Issues

Health Issues

Consumer Issues

III. What are GM crops?

'The rapid adoption of biotechnology (since 1996) can be attributed to THREE MAIN factors. (quotes from Hillyer article)

1.

2.

3.

So...lets see the goods!

IV. Ag-Biotech Companies and GM Crops - Who's Who [A. Monsanto]

So far, most traits AgBiotech companies have put into GM crops are "Input Traits" that appeal specifically to the farmer - the grower - who is on the front lines waging the war against insects, weeds, and other pests, and trying to make a good living based on yield (bushels per acre).

Monsanto"Imagine"
Company Profile: Founded in 1902 and headquartered in St Louis MO, (MTC).

AgBiotech Products on the Market - Wow, look at this great list of "Genuity", YieldGard, & RR seeds!

Bt-crops (Insect protected):

1. YieldGard Insect-protected (Bt) corn

YieldGard® Corn Borer: (1996)

YieldGard Rootworm (Feb 2003)

YieldGard® Plus Corn (December 2003) The Big Gun:wow.

And New for 2009
Genuity™ VT Triple PRO™: With all these options, why go anywhere else?

2. Bollgard Insect-protected (Bt) cotton seed

Bollgard Bt Cotton: (January 1996)

Genuity / Bollgard II - (Summer 2003):

3. A Tragic story: NatureGard / NewLeaf Insect-Protected (Bt) and Virus-protected potatoes (discontinued)

RoundUp Ready: Genetically engineered in-plant tolerance to Roundup Herbicide

1.Cotton, Soybeans, Canola, Corn...etc

A rather large selection of options: Can be combined with Bt and other

"Simply the Most Profitable Way to Grow Soybeans" - well, what more needs to be said?

New for 2009: RR Corn:"Now with EU Approval"!

IV. B. Ag-Biotech Companies and GM Crops - Who's Who [Others] (see Table for examples of AgBiotech companies owned by AgChemical Companies...) This is a semi-complete list; no need to remember who makes what (will NOT be on the test) - just look to see the scope of the products:

• DeKalb/Asgro: (Monsanto's seed company) YieldGard Insect resistance (Bt), RR crops
• Dupont and its seed company Pioneer HiBred:
• DowAgrosciences and it's seed company Mycogen Seeds : NatureGard Insect resistance (Bt), SuperCede Nutritionally Enhanced Corn (1999) [for cows, not us...], Herculex (cool signage...) lots more!!!
• Syngenta (a giant conglomerate of 3 old companies, plus a bunch of small companies!): Ciba (1884), Geigy (1758) and Sandoz (1876). Sandoz + Ciba became Novartis (1996), Novartis is merged with AstraZeneca in 2000 to form Syngenta, "the first global group focusing exclusively on agribusiness"   Northrup King" Maximizer Insect resistance (Bt)
• Aventis/Hoechst (oops, now Sanofi-Aventis) and its seed company AgrEvo LibertyLink - Liberty (Glufosinate = Basta!) tolerance

V. What about the bottom line: "Global data on Bt crops provided by ISAAA chairman Dr Clive James indicate:

• Yield:
• Production costs,
• Insecticide applications,
  
  

VI. Output Traits: Some truly COOL products:

The Next Wave of AgBio GM crops will focus on "Output Traits" that are meaningful to the PROCESSORS: Archer Daniels Midland / (Wiki) , etc., and FOOD INGREDIENT COMPANIES (Kraft, General Mills, etc)

1. VISTIVE /RR Low-Linolenic Soybeans:

2. Processor-Preferred: "grain with compositional value to processors; unlocking value for growers in new markets. "

• Processor Preferred corn hybrids
  • High Extractable Starch (HES) and
  • High Fermentable Corn (HFC)
  • I-85 program
• Processor Preferred soybean varieties c

Upcoming output traits: Foods meaningful to the CONSUMERS

1. Can you think of a few traits here?
   
   
2. MUST GO HERE!!! Sustaining agbiotechnology through lean times [PDF]Nature Biotechnology 21, 996 - 1002 (2003) (link) Great article but BIG figures!
   
   
3. "Functional food: Definition?"

Objectives

1. List three factors that led to the rapid adoption of GM crops by US farmers (Article)
2. Distinguish between "Input" and "Output" traits in GM crops
3. Identify and discuss the two commercial types of "Input traits" on the market today (Monsanto) - Yield/Boll Gard and RR.
4. What is the difference between YieldGard® Corn Borer, Yield Gard Rootworm, and Yield Gard PLUS?
5. Make sure you know what you are eating when you are eating GM food!
6. Explain why ag-biotech crops make sense in terms of yield, insecticide applications, and production costs
7. VISTIVE /RR Low-Linolenic Soybeans and the Processor Preferred hybrids.
8. Explain some upcoming output traits / "functional foods"