Conference On The Role Of Genetically Modified Organisms In Trade Disputes

By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-1773 x 281

Source(s):
Andrew Schmitz aschmitz@ifas.ufl.edu, 352-392-1845 ext. 415

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Trade disputes over the use of genetically modified organisms in agricultural crops will be the focus of an international conference Oct. 30-31 in San Antonio, Texas.

“Border disputes are becoming a worldwide problem for farm exports,” said Andrew Schmitz, a University of Florida professor of food and resource economics who is coordinating the conference.

“A major barrier to trade for the United States is the reluctance of trading blocks to import products such as corn and soybeans that are genetically modified organisms, or GMOs,” he said. “Trade disputes also arise for other reasons, including unfair government subsidies and non-tariff barriers.”

Schmitz, who is the Bill Hill Griffin eminent scholar at UF, said a prime example is the controversy surrounding the resistance of the European Union to import GMO corn and soybeans from the U.S.

Even when countries allow the importation of GMO products from the U.S., disputes have arisen over product contamination. As an example, he cited the introduction of Starlink GMO corn that contaminated U.S. corn exports to Japan.

He said agricultural production has been significantly increased by the Green Revolution, and the new biotechnology “gene revolution” could have similar results.

“Those who oppose the adoption of GMOs argue they do not increase producer profitability or add to food quality, and they cite cases where the opposite can happen,” Schmitz said. “However, there are many cases – though not well documented – where food quality can be significantly enhanced through GMOs.”

Schmitz said the conference might help answer questions about why the U.S. and Canada are reluctant to introduce GMO wheat at a time when the acceptance of GMO canola is increasing.

He said the conference will feature more than 16 speakers from universities, government agencies and the private sector. Sponsors include the Farm Foundation in cooperation with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Texas A&M University’s Center for North American Studies, University of Missouri’s Economics and Management of Agrobiotechnology Center, and North Dakota State University’s Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies.

Schmitz will discuss GMOs and the cost of market segmentation, and Charles Moss, a UF professor of food and resource economics, will discuss GMOs and intellectual property rights.

Other conference speakers include: Peggy Casswell from the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, Frank Chiang from The National Taiwan Ocean University, Bob Evenson from Yale University, Murray Fulton from the University of Saskatchewan, Harvey Glick from Monsanto Company, Wallace Huffman from Iowa State University, Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Won Koo from North Dakota State University, Leonie Marks from the University of Missouri, Gordon Rausser from the University of California at Berkeley, Parr Rosson from Texas A&M University in College Station, Ian Sheldon from Ohio State University, Tom Wahl from Washington State University and David Zilberman from the University of California.

The registration fee – which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on Oct. 30 and breakfast the next morning — is $175 by Sept. 28 and $225 after that date. For more information on the conference, contact Kjerstin Terry at 352-392-1845, ext. 418.

The conference will be held at The Historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio. For hotel reservations call 1-800-345-9285. For information on registration, contact the UF/IFAS Office of Conferences and Institutes at 352-392-5930 or visit the conference Web site at http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/conference/fre/gmotexas.

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Posted: September 11, 2003


Category: UF/IFAS



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