Jane Dever Associate Professor – Cotton Breeder Member, USDA National Genetic Resources Advisory Council Welcome to Hong Kong

Purpose: Eliminate Barriers to Growth Objective: Collaborate and Grow Challenge: Meeting Supply and Demand Solution: Working Together Facilitate expansion strategies Improve access to non-GM seed Address GM contamination Organic and sustainable Improve business models

 Good farming practices that produce raw material for business expansion and strategy depend on access to good quality seed with native genetic improvement ◉ 1. “GM” cannot be separated from the importance of native traits and availability of genetic improvements to all farmers ◉ 2. Contamination: distraction or threat? ◉ 3. Breeding for the long haul, not the short delivery ◉ 4. Good news and other news ◉ 5. Policy: Hindsight versus tunnel vision  Have a wonderful and high-yielding round table discussion! It starts with the seed

 Returning to Texas A&M, I was stunned to be asked, “How can a traditional breeder be relevant in a GM world?” ◉ To capture native genetic resources that are not targets of biotechnology research ◉ To ensure genetic resources are available for adaptation to changing environments ◉ To protect consumer choices; the freedom to farm your way Your seed is “something” before it is ‘GM’

Seed has to be “something” before is it ‘GM’. DNA is a strand of genes. Traditional plant breeding combines many genes at once. Desired gene Traditional Donor Commercial Variety New Variety (many genes transferred) Desired gene(s) X (crosses) = Plant Biotechnology Using plant biotechnology, a single gene is added to the strand with a very specific purpose. (backcross) = GM trait Desired Gene Commercial Variety ‘Old’ Variety Yield, fiber quality, disease resistance, drought tolerance, salt tolerance, environmental adaptation

 Organic farmers should not be penalized for unintentional adventitious presence of GM ◉ Planting seed purity begin with the purity of the foundation seed ◉ Seed quality is as important as seed purity ◉ Good production practices minimize contamination  Presence of GM is a threat to traditional breeding ◉ 1% allowable contamination in non-GM seed sources can multiply in the breeding process if the GM trait cannot be economically and practically detected ◉ Selection bias exacerbates GM contamination in the breeding process and farmer-caught seed sources Contamination is a distraction and a threat

Maintaining purity GM seed contamination is a concern for traditional breeding programs. Sources of contamination can come from out crossing, volunteers, seed handling, and adventitious presence. It can be minimized, but detection of GM traits is expensive for traditional breeders without access to technology profits. Adventitious presence Volunteer in a field Outcrossing in a field Harvester mixing Mechanical Seed contamination It takes 10 to 15 years to develop a line; if contamination is not controlled early the cost is multiplied. Seed security in a minority environment should include prevention and maintenance relief for traditional breeders and organic farmers who do not financially benefit from biotechnology traits, but feel the burden of the costs. Possible sources of contamination

Germplasm enhancement and screening at Texas A&M AgriLife in Lubbock  Broaden the genetic base of cotton  Improve fiber quality  Identify new sources of resistance  incorporate native traits into agronomically acceptable germplasm Improved Fiber Quality Thrips Resistance Sources identified for drought and salt tolerance

 Cotton varieties available to organic farmers in US increased from ~2 in 2010/2011 to 7 in 2012  Transgenic acreage in US cotton increased to 99% Good news and other news U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service - Cotton Program Memphis, Tennessee September 5, 2012 mp_cn833 Bayer CropScience FM 958 and AFD 2485 were the predominate varieties planted by Organic cotton producers. Other varieties planted by organic producers include All-Tex 7A21, All-Tex LA122, All-Tex A102, Bayer CropScience FM 989, and Seed Source Genetics CT 210.B15

 Current biotechnology efforts are very specific ◉ Short term ‘benefits’ fundamentally change farming practices with few contingency plans to handle new problems that arise ◉ Regulation during the GM approval phase relax after deregulation w/o adequate stewardship for contamination issue  Genetic resources should be protected beyond GM traits ◉ There is a “gap” in germplasm collections for crops with approved GM because final varieties are not deposited (IP) ◉ Contamination issues in development of new, traditional varieties far exceed planting seed contamination issues ◉ Crossing with sources that have 1% AP and selection bias can lead to contamination beyond expected amounts Tunnel vision and hindsight

 Seed breeders ask, “how can we help organic farmers?”  Experience (hindsight) tells me a thriving organic farming community helps protect our vital genetic resources ◉ Consumer demand and adherence to principles of organic farming encourages true genetic improvement and diversity in an environment dominated by short-term policies ◉ In countries with GM being introduced, urge policies that help protect the development and production of traditional varieties ◉ Discovery of new genetic improvements from native sources improves agriculture production and policy for everyone and contributes biodiversity when short-term solutions fall short ◉ Do not let GM IP issues restrict access to natural genetic resources A brighter future

Jane Dever Associate Professor – Cotton Breeder Member, USDA National Genetic Resources Advisory Council Thank you and Enjoy the Conference