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A group of Ohio farmers has taken a proactive approach to the biotechnology debate by participating in "Breakthroughs in Biotechnology," a speaker training program designed to communicate the benefits consumers gain through agricultural biotechnology.

"Breakthroughs in Biotechnology" is a public outreach program conducted by American Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture in cooperation with Ohio Farm Bureau.

Last spring, 22 Ohio Farm Bureau members volunteered for the speaker training. The program’s goal is to encourage farmers to speak to local civic groups about the benefits of biotechnology to agriculture. Since the initial training in April, Ohio participants have given 22 presentations to nearly 300 people. This represents approximately half of all the presentations given across the country so far.

The benefits derived from biotechnology include improved food products, better medicines and an enhanced environment. Farm Bureau policy supports biotechnology, however, some aspects of the science have become controversial in recent years. This consumer outreach program is a way to combat misinformation with fact-based presentations by those who are often on the front lines of biotech issues – farmers.

Consumer survey research has indicated that consumers who perceive benefits from agricultural biotechnology are more likely to support it. Examples of biotechnology advances include golden rice enriched with beta-carotene and iron that promises to prevent blindness for millions of people in the developing world and a banana that contains an edible vaccine to fend off hepatitis, one of the world’s most devastating diseases.

"Breakthroughs in Biotechnology" participants are available to speak to local civic organizations. To see if a local Farm Bureau member is available to speak on this subject, contact Pat Petzel, OFBF’s director of promotion and education, at 614-249-2428.