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S. HARLANDER, Vice President of Biotechnology Development and Agricultural Research, Pillsbury Technology Center, M.S. 9921, 330 University Avenue, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414-2198

In the relatively short time since their commercial introduction in 1996, genetically modified crops have been rapidly adopted in the U.S. The first products of plant biotechnology involve input traits in commodity crops. Because FDA considers these crops “substantially equivalent” to their traditional counterparts, no special labeling is required for GM crops in the U.S. and they are managed as commodities without segregation or identity preservation. This creates an issue for farmers, grain elevator operators, multinational ingredient suppliers and food processors, as labeling guidelines and consumer acceptance of GM crops differ in Europe and other parts of the world. Farmers and processors will be challenged to establish cost effective identity preservation and segregation systems for low value commodity crops to meet the demands of the global food industry. Although in the short term it may be possible to obtain corn and soy-derived ingredients that have been certified as non-GM to avoid labeling in these countries, it will become increasingly difficult in the long term as more GM crops make their way into the food supply chain. Innovative approaches must be developed and adopted by the affected industries to meet the diverse needs of the global food supply chain and at the same time encourage the future development of food biotechnology. This presentation will focus on the challenges facing multinational food companies, especially as the next generation of GM crops that deliver processing advantages and tangible consumer benefits are introduced.