With the flurry of debates on the pros and cons of GMOs or ‘genetically modified organisms’ Dr. William Wiebold, an agronomy professor with the University of Missouri – Columbia, stepped up to the plate with a talk concerning this hot topic. His presentation at the Barton County Soils and Crops Conference in Lamar, Mo., provided conference participants with basic facts and issues with GMOs.
“I’m not here to convince someone to use GMOs, but when they talk to me about that I say there’s a lot of science that is behind it. I’m a scientist,” explained Wiebold, “I believe in science and science has done some very good things for us. I think the data is there to support that. That’s what I think then I leave it up to them to decide on what they think.” Since early civilizations, mankind has sought out to make strains of plants and livestock to produce greater yields. As an example of traditional or crossbreeding methods Wiebold pointed out early soybeans plants had smaller pods and often would break open leaving less harvestable yields.
“Farmers saw that some of the plants in their fields had traits that retained their soybeans. They learned to hold back some of the seeds from those plants to sow the next season. Slowly, over time the soybean through crossbreeding produced a hybrid with the larger pods and productivity we see today,” he said.
The resulting transgenic or biotech (bT) organism created through GMO research, not to be confused with hybrids as in crossbreeding, comes from specific concept of genetic engineering that: 1. Isolates and eliminates a trait gene in a species; 2. Augments a given species’ genome with only the desired trait from a donor of the same species; or 3. Implements a specific gene from a totally different species into the recipient.
Wiebold explained there is a real world reason and need for GMOs. “There are just some traits that would be good for us to have and that farmers desire that can’t be done by traditional breeding because that particular gene has to exist somewhere in the world,” he said, “Within the corn world or the soybean world and it doesn’t, so if that trait is not possible, so if we can move it from another species into corn or soybeans, such as from a bacterium, then we can have that trait and so it opens up the possibilities of what can be done.”
What does all this mean for the farmer in regards to crop production and profitability? Many GMO crops such as corn, cotton and soybeans have greater tolerances to herbicides therefore allowing the use of reduced-risk herbicides that breakdown faster in the soil with decreased toxicity to humans or animals. These types of GMO crops are highly compatible with the growing shifts in minimal tillage to non-till farming which aids in soil conservation with decreased expenses in chemical application. Since one of the chief goals of GMO crops is a high-quality yield with higher quantity, producers enjoy a bigger bang for their hard-earned bucks when the harvest time payday arrives.
Increased pressures from a global perspective have increased the need for American farmers to feed not only the American people, but the world population. GMO research and production leverages the attraction of faster results to created desired results unlike traditional methodologies, which may take many years, even decades before the desired results are achieved. This does not come without substantial upfront costs Wiebold noted. “It takes millions of dollars of research before a project is finished then even more for the approval testing process required before it is approved for agricultural use by the regulatory agencies.”
In recent years, especially since 2013, GMOs have come under the gun by consumers and organic producers. “Some concerns are about consequences or impacts GMOs may have,” explained Wiebold, “Will the plant have a different nutritional level? Will it affect other species in the environment? Will it not yield as well?
“All of those things are tested very highly and there is lots of data before they are released and so I think the science is pretty strong on that. I guess in most cases, in summary here, before a product is released to farmers there is lots and lots of data and research involved. Is it a 100 percent guarantee? No, but it goes a long ways to making sure that some of those problems don’t occur.”
‘To GMO or not to GMO’ is the continuing question that haunts agricultural producers. Like politics, religion or even what is the best tractor out there it is a matter of opinion and what one’s production goals are. As Wiebold noted in his closing comments that statistics by either side of the debate can be made to prove their point. It is up to the individual farmer, like a jury to weigh all the evidence to make that final informed decision.
