Agricultural Biotechnology: Facilitating Trade for Food and Feed

Sharon Bomer Lauritsen

Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Agriculture

North American Agricultural Biotechnology Council

June 2, 2015

1

Outline

Agricultural Biotechnology in U.S. and Global Agriculture

Issues Affecting Agricultural Trade

U.S. Government Approaches to Trade and Agricultural Biotechnology

2

I S A A ABiotech Crop Countries and Mega-Countries*, 2014

3

I S A A A

Global Adoption Rates (%) for PrincipalBiotech Crops, 2014

Source: Clive James, 2014Hectarage based on FAO Preliminary Data for 2012.

M Acres

200180160140120100806040200

82%Soybean

68%Cotton

30%Maize

25%Canola

494445395346296247198140

99490

111

37

184

36

ConventionalBiotech

4

I S A A A

M Acres

Global Area of Biotech Crops,1996 to 2014: By Crop (MillionHectares, Million Acres)

Source: Clive James, 2014

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Soybean MaizeCotton Canola

0

99 4074 30

49 2025 10

173 70

148 60

124 50

247 100

222 90

198 80

0

5

I S A A A

0 01996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Source: Clive James, 20142002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

20

40

60

80

346 140

296 120

247 100

395 160

445 180

49

99

M Acres494 200

148

198

Total Industrial Developing

Global Area of Biotech Crops, 1996 to 2014: Industrial and Developing Countries

6

Biotechnology and Trade

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

soybeans corn cotton canola

global trade

share ofglobal tradefrom GEproducers

Biotechnology: Trade in Major Crops, 2012/13

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

soybeans corn cotton canola

% global trade from GE producers: 2012/13

Source: Brooks and Barfoot, 20147

Source: IDB Integration and Trade Sector based on INTrade.

8

RTA Expansion 1975

Source: IDB Integration and Trade Sector based on INTrade.

9

RTA Expansion 1995

Source: IDB Integration and Trade Sector based on INTrade.

10

RTA Expansion 2014

U.S. Commodity Exports (2014)

Corn: $10.6 billion to 71 countries(93 percent biotech)

Soybeans and Products: $30.5 billion to 110 countries(94 percent biotech)

Cotton: $4.4 billion to 68 countries( 93 percent biotech)

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12

Soybean Industry PortfolioPipeline of biotech events and novel trait releases

Quality/Food

Agronomic

2020

Increased oil & improved feed 

efficiency(Du Pont Pioneer)

Source: Pipeline information from industry & published sources: May 2014

Nematode Resistance 

(BASF;Monsanto; Syngenta)LibertyLink 

(LL)(Bayer)

Imidazolinone Tolerant Brazil only.

(BASF/Embrapa Brazil)

RR2Y(Monsanto)

Omega‐3 Stearidonic Acid 

(Monsanto)

2013

Dicamba Tolerant(Monsanto)

High Oleic / Low‐Sat 

(Vistive Gold) (Monsanto)

Disease Resistance (Syngenta)

Commercialized

High‐Oleic (Plenish)

(Du Pont Pioneer)

HigherYield II(Monsanto)

Lepidoptera Resistance (Du Pont Pioneer)

MGITolerant (Syngenta/ Bayer)

LibertyLink (LL)(Bayer)

Bt/RR2Y(Monsanto)

Glytol/HPPD (Bayer/MS 

Technologies)

Glytol / HPPD / LL (Bayer/MS 

Technologies)

Enlist 2,4‐D Tolerant (Dow)

Asian rust (Syngenta;Du Pont Pioneer)

Low Raff‐Stach 

(Virginia Tech)

Herbicide Tolerant (3rdgeneration) (Monsanto)

IR/Enlist2,4‐D(Dow)

Vistive Gold Xtend 

(Monsanto)

Insect resistant (2nd generation) 

(Monsanto)

Droughtresistant(Embrapa/COODETEC)

Commercialized

Insect resistant (sucking 

insects/stink bugs)

Enlist/RR2Y(Dow)

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Issues Affecting Trade of Products Derived from Modern Biotechnology

Lack of regulations in developing countries Asynchronous Authorizations Low Level Presence Labeling Field Trial Permits Liability Issues “Opt Out” on approvals

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U.S. Government Approaches

Sustained working-level

Bilateral

Plurilateral

Multilateral

Trade agreement negotiations

Trade and technical capacity building and outreach

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The Future?

Scientific advances will continue to provide tools to improve crop varieties and animal breeds.

Businesses need predictability and certainty in regulatory processes.

Enabling policy environments will allow products of these innovations to be used and traded globally in a reliable manner.

Stewardship on the part of technology developers is critical to help facilitate trade.

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