Why use modern plant breeding approaches such as genetic engineering to improve plants?
Plants are the first step in every food chain, therefore, humans and animals are dependent upon plants for their survival. Increases in plant production are needed to meet growing demands for food. Use of modern plant biotechnologies, including gene transfers into crop plants, offers significant advantages over traditional plant breeding in developing improved crops. The tremendous advances made possible through genetically engineering plants are key to achieving crop production gains needed to meet increased world food demands. A stable world food supply preserved through increased crop production is vital to U.S. national interests. Prevention of food shortages in vulnerable developing nations through increased crop production, averts a dangerous destabilizing threat to the governments of those nations. Genetic engineering of plants will also lead to development of more nutritious and better tasting foods. In addition to the advantages offered in food production, plant biotechnology
