(BT) Agricultural Technologies Lesson
Agricultural Technologies Lesson
Introduction
Agriculture
Agricultural practices have evolved to include the use of advanced technologies to improve efficiencies in production and for higher quality products. These technologies support and enhance the growing and processing of plants and animals for food, fiber, fuel, or other useful items. Products of agriculture are inspected and production processes regulated to safeguard public health.
The development and use of biotechnologies for agriculture require a thorough understanding of an organism’s biological infrastructures and the long term effects on those infrastructures.
Explore
Agricultural biotechnologies increase quality yield for nutrition at highest efficiencies. Overall, knowledge and technologies have improved for crop and livestock management. Increased knowledge of sustainable agriculture practices and technologies improve the ability of the land to continue to produce goods. Efficiencies and cost of production are increased through specialized equipment. Precision Farming practices are increasingly used to maximize output and reduce operational costs.
Advances in biotechnology and DNA understandings have led to transgenic applications in agriculture. Some crops are modified genetically to withstand greater environmental stress and as well increase useable food value. Research is ongoing for transgenic animals with DNA from different species to produce improved traits. Research is also underway for inclusion of transgenic opportunities in plants and animals for pharmaceutics and specialized materials applications.
Explore the following to learn greater detail of the processes and technologies used for biotechnology in agriculture.
Before you watch this video consider the application of engineering pesticides into crops to increase natural resistance to insect pests. The benefits are increased yield and reduced use of insecticide chemicals. The risks are variable and uncertain.
Challenge
Take Away
Unintended consequences is the phrase used when unintentional bad things happen from implementation of a good technological breakthrough. An example would be the onslaught of Identification Theft resulting from the deployment of the World Wide Web. Governments are aware of the social concerns of implementing breakthrough technologies such as genetic engineering, but before investing in a biotechnology have to find a way to evaluate the risk versus reward of the breakthroughs in technology.
How does the US government determine and consider the potential hazard from organisms that are genetically modified (GMO)?
Federal regulation agencies determine risk assessment from genetically engineering organisms (GMO) through collaboration and experimentation with leading academic institutions and scientists in the respective fields with consideration of commercial scientists working in the particular field. Research funding and product approvals are based upon the results of the scientific assessment of potential hazards to public and future societies.
Genetically Modified Crops, Transgenic Animals, and Biopharming are federally regulated through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The President’s Office of Science and Technology (OST) participates through recommendations.
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