The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

Food and Drug Administration and other agencies, there is always more demand for expertise than supply. Thus, FAS officers will need to deepen their own under- standing of food safety and be able to distinguish between legitimate concerns and unjustified trade barriers. Debunking “Frankenfoods” Of all the SPS issues, biotech- nology is probably most important to the future development of U.S. agriculture and inter- national development. As of mid-2002, biotech varieties accounted for 34 percent of corn, 71 percent of cotton, and 75 percent of soybean plantings in the United States. This dependence on biotechnology has made gaining worldwide acceptance of this technology vital for U.S. trade and the continued competitiveness of U.S. agricul- ture. Conversely, failure to bring down such barriers will be very costly. The European Union’s restrictions on biotech foods (commonly known as Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs) are already costing U.S. corn exporters $200 million annually. A proposed E.U. label- ing regulation could result in a loss of an estimated addi- tional $4 billion in agricultural trade. Unfortunately, these problems are likely to worsen before improving. Alarmed by failures in their food safe- ty systems and by misplaced environmentalist sentiment, the governments of America’s trading partners are under increasing pressure to regulate trade. In Europe, out- breaks of “mad cow” disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot-and-mouth disease, and the detection of cancer-causing dioxin in chicken, have all undermined European consumers’ con- fidence in their regulatory systems. Meanwhile, Japan has grappled with contaminated dairy products and proces- sors who mislabel imported beef as domestic products to get higher prices. At the same time, parts of the environ- mental movement have been co-opted by protectionists into opposing biotechnology, despite scientific evidence that properly regulated GMOs are safe, reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides (not only helping the environ- ment, but saving farmers’ lives, especially in the develop- ing world), and help prevent erosion through use of min- imum tillage cropping systems. To counter negative public opinion (as shown in the popular denunciation of GMOs as “Frankenfoods”) and head off reg- ulatory action against biotechnolo- gy, FAS also needs to reach out to host country opinion-leaders. Our message should be that biotech- nology, trade and modern farming contribute positively to poverty reduction, the environment and public health. For example, biotech Golden Rice has enhanced levels of Vitamin A that could sharply reduce the incidence of childhood blindness in many countries, while Roundup Ready Soybeans result in a lower application of chemicals and allow use of minimum tillage systems that reduce erosion and help conserve soil resources. GMO products also can increase yields and permit farming in adverse conditions, which benefit poor farmers, who make up a majority of the world’s poor. Some FAS posts, often in cooperation with embassy public affairs sections, have held educational seminars and study tours for journalists and legislators along with out- reach and scientific exchange programs between U.S. and other country scientists and regulatory officials. (See “Speaking Out: Using Public Diplomacy to Promote Agricultural Biotechnology” by Michael Conlon, July- August 2002 FSJ .) By conveying the benefits of biotech- nology and sound SPS regulation to regulators, govern- ment officials and the public, such programs not only ben- efit U.S. trade interests, but can reduce hunger, increase rural income and improve the environment. This is a message worth spreading. Marketing and Export Promotion FAS is unique in the Foreign Service because of its close relationships with U.S. private sector groups. Funded by U.S. producers and agribusiness, market development cooperator groups such as the American Soybean Association, U.S. Grain Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation, American Hardwood Export Council and the Washington State Apple Commission maintain a network of offices overseas to promote U.S. exports. FAS jointly funds market development activities with these and other cooperator organizations. In addition, F O C U S M A Y 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 47 As tariffs and other traditional trade barriers have fallen, countries have been creative in finding new ones to undermine their trade commitments.