Harvard Prof Sees 'Schizophrenic' Environment for Biotech

December 9, 1999

Harvard Professor Ray Goldberg sees the current environment in which biotechnology is developing as "schizophrenic." Newly discovered methods to improve human, plant and animal health are met with mistrust of the science by some consumer groups.

Goldberg, Norman E. Borlaug, Nobel laureate of the Green Revolution, and Owen J. Newlin, former senior executive of Pioneer Hi-Bred International and a past president of the American Seed Trade Association, are judges for this year's Verdant Crop Genetics Award of the Year to a Land Grant college.

"This award is being created in an environment that is schizophrenic," said Goldberg. "The newly discovered ability to map the genome of humans, plants and animals so as to improve health, nutrition, safety, the environment and the global economy is colliding with the mistrust of the science by some consumer groups. The fact that the award goes to a member of the Land Grant system is appropriate. These colleges, together with other groups, are helping create an agriceutical system that will employ over half the people of thee world. It will utilize half the assets of the world and supply over half the consumer expenditures in the world."

Goldberg notes that multinationals including Monsanto, Dow, Dupont, Novartis, Astra-Zeneca and BASF have made major acquisitions of seed companies to capture genetic traits for plant improvement and are investing heavily in the new technologies. "On the other hand," Goldberg adds, "Dupont believes the agriceutical system is essential to the reinventing of its company. The agriceutical system encompasses the traditional participants of the food supply chain but also extends well beyond.

Supermarkets no longer are just "glorified grocers." For example, Wegmans Food Markets chain, Syracuse, NY, inaugurated a diabetic counseling program consisting of a series of classes for diabetic patients that included meal planning and dietary advice, Goldberg said.

The combination of health, science and agribusiness totals $15 trillion, almost double the value of agribusiness by itself, according to Goldberg. Agribusiness, health and nutrition and pharmaceutical sectors of agricultural companies are directing significant research and development funds to understanding immunity, a common bond shared by plants, animals and humans, he adds.