Benefits of Biotechnology

June 2-13, 2003, Washington, DC, St.Louis, Missouri and Des Moines, Iowa
Contact: Washington Foreign Press Center Office: Elaine Papazian
Telephone: 202- 504-6318,mailto:PapazianES2@state.gov

The Washington Foreign Press Center conducted a two-week reporting tour for seven journalists from Southern Africa to examine U.S. agricultural biotechnology policy -- its food safet, trade, agricultural, and political dimensions.  Included in the tour were journalists from Zambia, where USAID food was rejected because of GMO fears.  The first week was spent interviewing Washington D.C. policy-makers, including Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa; officials from the USDA, FDA, FTC and USAID; and proponents and opponents in think tanks and universities, as well as Washington Post reporters.

During the second week, the group traveled to Des Moines and St. Louis to visit farmers, sustainable development advocates, small cutting-edge biotech companies, and the big research and development companies - Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred - as well as soybean and corn producers associations, universities, and reporters.  Our participants have filed articles and we expect the positive payout gained from their enormous learning experience to continue well into the future.  The African reporters became convinced of the safety of biotech foods for human consumption and some became enthused over the possibilities of biotech crops specifically geared to African agriculture.