Farmers have been saying for years that the non-farming public would eventually come to appreciate the benefits of biotechnology. This may be the year when public opinion turns the corner, if recent comments by European governments are any indication.  The global food crunch is causing world leaders and even much of the public to re-examine their unfounded opposition to this technology, which farmers know leads to higher yields and less costly food.

Europe?s resistance to biotechnology has been one of the main obstacles to more rapid adoption of the technology around the world.  Developing African nations, even those with mass starvation, have rejected biotechnology out of fear that they might lose the opportunity to sell any surplus crops to Europe. Now, with a global food shortage exacerbating hunger around the world, the United Kingdom is beginning to see that Europe?s resistance cannot be sustained. (See below: GM Crops Needed in Britain.)

The head of Nestlé, Europe?s largest producer of packaged foods, is urging that the restrictions on biotechnology be relaxed so that food prices can come down. "You cannot today feed the world without genetically modified organisms," he said.  (See below: Soaring Food Costs Sow Doubts Over Europe's GM Policy.)

The need for more food production will grow exponentially in the next several years, and we simply must have new technologies to keep pace with demand. Farmers have known this for decades, but we have fought an uphill battle.  It looks like we may be winning.

BioFact: A quick online survey conducted by GMO Compass, a website by independent science journalists, reveals that over 80% of its respondents (5435) voted for European agriculture to use all available technologies including genetic engineering and biotechnology if negative effects on the environment could be ruled out and positive effects on world nutrition were possible.

GM Crops Needed In Britain, Says Minister -- Ministers are preparing to open the way for genetically modified crops to be grown in Britain on the grounds they could help combat the global food crisis.

Soaring Food Costs Sow Doubts Over Europe's GM Policy -- Europe is on the verge of a fresh battle over genetically modified food as soaring prices put pressure on governments to drop their resistance to "Frankenfoods" .

Australian GMO Wheat Research Seen Defying Drought  -- Early success with drought-tolerant wheat raises hopes for introduction within 10 years.

Report Tackles Global Impact of Biotech Crops  -- A new report by PG Economics details significant environmental and economic benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Monsanto Seeks Big Increase In Crop Yields -- Monsanto, the leader in agricultural biotechnology, pledges to develop seeds that would double the yields of corn, soybeans and cotton by 2030 and would require 30 percent less water, land and energy to grow

Monsanto's 2030 Goals -- To succeed at its goal of doubling crop yields by 2030, Monsanto must win over biotechnology skeptics, address extremely complex global social, political and economic challenges ? and convince naysayers that it should be at the head of the table.

Ahead Of The Tape: Food Shortage Recasts Image Of 'Organic'  -- As global food shortages threaten to ignite social and economic instability from Nigeria to India, the popular aversion to genetically modified foods is turning into more of a luxury for the wealthy than a practical option for the masses.

PGA Urges Govt To Lift GM Crops Ban  -- Australian canola growers want what Canada has -- higher yields through biotechnology.

Biotech Crops Seen Helping To Feed Hungry World  -- Biotechnology in agricultural will be key to feeding a growing world population and overcoming climate challenges like crop-killing droughts, according to a group of leading industry players.

Multi-Trait Corn Package Moves To Regulators  -- As early as 2010 farmers could be planting seed with as many as eight specialty genes to protect crop yield.