Monsanto utilizes biotechnology in hopes of shaping agriculture

This is the final installment in a three-part series on genetically-modified crops and their place in Nebraska agriculture. It focuses on a tour of a Monsanto facility located in the central part of the state.

More often than not, controversy surrounds the biotechnology company Monsanto. The company’s work with genetically modified crops has drawn the criticism of European governments and advocacy groups across the United States. Amidst all this, the company continues to strive for more sustainable means of agriculture.

Chandler Mazour, the manager of the Monsanto Water Learning Facility in Gothenburg, Nebraska, says that three main areas of focus go into the company’s work in agriculture.

“The genetics, the traits and the agronomic systems – those are the three parts we focus on,” Mazour said. “When do I till? How do I till? When do I control my weeds? How do I control my weeds? How do I control my insects? When should I irrigate? How much should I irrigate? Can I over-irrigate? The list just goes on and on and on.”

Since bioengineering began being implemented in agriculture in 1996, crop yields have continued to increase with great regularity – something Monsanto takes a lot of credit for. With the continued integration of biotechnology and information technology, the company – as well as many agricultural experts – believe crop yields will continue to rise over the next two decades.

“It’s information technology that’s driving this,” Mazour said. “It’s truly amazing how quickly we can generate data and make decisions now.”

In mid-August, the United States Department of Agriculture predicted record crop yields for several crops in the U.S., including 13.8 billion bushels of corn – which would be a United States record, as well as 3.26 billion bushels of soybeans – which would be the third-highest yield ever.

The 320-acre facility in Gothenburg features a dozen employees, all of whom focus on distinct fields of study, including the aforementioned aspects: genetics, bioengineered traits and the agronomic systems.

“It’s really interesting when you think about it in that systems approach. That’s the world that a farmer operates in. Everything is connected. That’s how they make a decision, that’s their language.”

The biotech traits, which are one of the most common aspects of Monsanto’s work to come under fire from public groups, consist of traits such as herbicide tolerance or insect tolerance – all of which contribute to higher crop yields.

“Just recently – this year – we launched a drought guard system where a gene from a cold shock protein helps the plant to be more hydro efficient,” Mazour said. “The protein was found in a common soil bacterium. If you’ve been walking in the dirt, it’s on your shoes right now. What this does is helps the plant tap the brakes in times of water stress. It helps that plant hang on for that next precipitation event.”

Several states in America have pursued GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling laws, but most have been unsuccessful. Advocacy groups point to the potential safety hazards as reasons to mandate labeling, but thus far, most efforts have fallen short and the federal government has shown no signs of acting on the matter.

Mazour believes that the regulation process in place in the United States is more than effective, and has no concerns over the purported safety risks some believe genetically modified crops pose to human beings.

“I eat it. My kids eat it. My wife eats it. We had some sweet corn that has insect protection in it this year,” Mazour said of the purported safety risks. “I have a lot of faith in the regulatory process. It’s a very stringent.”

Apart from this highly controversial matter, Monsanto insists that the work the company does not only benefits farmers, but also helps contribute to a more efficient society, as a whole.

“If we can save a half inch of water on every acre of corn crop in the United States, that’s about 1.3 trillion gallons of water,” Mazour said of the recent innovations released to the public. “That’s enough water to provide the City of Denver water for about 13 years.”

With many agriculture producers hoping to see the recent two-year drought that has gripped the region come to a close, Monsanto will continue to do their part to ensure expected crop yields for farmers struggling to make ends meet.

“It goes beyond their cornfields or their soybean fields. They’re thinking of their cattle, their hay. It’s just all interrelated,” Mazour said. “I think there’s certainly a financial aspect to it. Seed prices have gone up, we catch heat for that sometimes. Obviously, they purchase it because there is an economic value to them.”