How can biotechnology help farmers and consumers?
Combating human diseases: The first biotechnology products were medicines designed to address human diseases. Insulin, used to treat diabetics, and blood clot-busting enzymes for heart attack victims are now produced easily and cheaply as a result of biotechnology. New research by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) finds that transgenic animals may be a new source of valuable hormones and drugs to treat emphysema and infections in babies. Promoting human health: Researchers are creating ways to boost the nutritional value of foods using biotechnology. Combating animal diseases: Biotechnology helped produce a vaccine that protects animals in the wild against rabies and a vaccine for “shipping fever” of cattle, the biggest killer of beef cattle in feedlots. Fighting hunger by resisting plant diseases and increasing crop yields: Biotechnology can help farmers increase crop yields and feed even more people. For example, an ARS scientist used biotechnology to pinpoint a gene that co
