Posted April 21, 2014
The dedication of Dr. Norman Borlaug’s statue in the U.S. Capitol last month promoted President Obama to praise the important role of biotechnology in agriculture, according to an article by Agri-Pulse available here. The Des Moines Register also reported on the story here.
In a letter to Julie Borlaug, available here, the President celebrated her grandfather’s life dedicated to alleviating world hunger and malnutrition by breeding better varieties of wheat and working with farmers, scientists, politicians and others to improve agricultural methods.
Obama wrote, “I share his belief that investment in enhanced biotechnology is an essential component of the solution to some of our planet’s most pressing agricultural problems…Through our regional climate change hubs, we will use the sorts of technologies pioneered by your grandfather to help farmers and ranchers face the climate challenges ahead.”
Borlaug, known as the “Father of the Green Revolution” was the only American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal and the National Medal of Science.
Julie Borlaug, assistant director for external relations at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, said, “This is a huge endorsement of the importance of agriculture research and biotechnology…My grandfather would have been grateful and appreciative of the president’s focus on agriculture and climate change in an effort to feed the 9 billion people expected to live on this planet by 2050.”
For more information on biotechnology, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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