Biotechnology and the AgChem Industry

Biotechnology in agriculture will likely go down in history as one of the defining technologies of our time, much like that of the advent of mechanical power or the use of pesticides to control insects and disease according to Paul E. Kindinger. In his paper, Biotechnology and the AGChem Industry, published in AGBioForum (1998) 1 (2):74-75, he points out that what we see now is just the tip of the iceberg. Looking ahead into the future, the author sees a market in which consumer's demands for increased food quality and safety will drive the manufacturers to form coalitions which will in turn meet these demands. The vehicle which will be utilized in meeting these standards will be that of biotechnology as it has the capacity to match the production demands and quality of consumers anywhere in the world. Mr. Kindinger is quick to point out however, that the transition period involved will not be one without problems and uncertainties, but in the end, biotechnology will be able to customize the traits of any product including taste, texture, nutritional content, and medicinal values. In a proposed scenario, the author describes a time in which the customer will approach a processor and present his or her specifications for the product desired. The processor will then develop the seed which has the required traits and passes them on to the retailer/producer team where the material is grown and distributed to markets where the consumer picks up the product. This scenario may not be too far fetched as biotechnology is forcing manufacturers and retailers to reexamine their current businesses. It is pointed out in an example that not long ago, the chemical companies begin claiming to be in the agricultural chemicals business and now they are portraying their companies as crop protection companies. Along the same lines, the retail industry is beginning to diversify and branch out into areas such as precision agriculture, information and data services, financing, and custom marketing. They are either now selling or at least considering the selling of seed produced by the biotechnology field. These changes will not be swift nor painless as there will be many successful and unsuccessful alliances, and the technology will move from single trait genetics to multiple trait, but the winners will be those who bring the best and most adaptable risk management tools to the table. While this evolutionary process will not completely eliminate the need for pesticides and chemicals, the changes will be dramatic and the driving force behind it all will be biotechnology.

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