Danforth Center’s “Conversations” Series Continues withLet’s Talk About… Biotechnology in the United States: Balancing Regulation, Research and Scientific Discovery

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will host its quarterly “Conversations” Series, this time focusing on the Progression of Plant Science, on Thursday, February 17, 2010 from 5:15 – 7:00 p.m. at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Road.  The event is sponsored by Boeing.  The program will feature James C. Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), and Jay Vroom, President and CEO, CropLife America (CLA), both of Washington, D.C.

Genetic modification of agricultural crops offers the promise of numerous life and world-improving breakthroughs. Crops can be made more nutritious, plants can be grown more sustainably—using less water, pesticides and fertilizer—yields per-acre can be increased to meet the world’s growing population, and so much more. But as with any significant new technology, due diligence and government regulations are necessary to ensure that there are not unintended consequences.

How can we work to ensure an appropriate level of science-based regulation, which maximizes the benefits of new plant technologies for commercial and humanitarian purposes? Join our panelists and moderator, James W. Davis, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis, for an in-depth discussion on the delicate balance between regulation and research.

To join us for an enlightening discussion, reserve your spot today!  Reservations are required but complimentary; seating is limited and priority will be given to Center Friends.  To attend, please phone: 314-587-1070 or email: conversations@danforthcenter.org or reserve online.

James C. Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), Washington, D.C.

Since Jim Greenwood became President and CEO of BIO in January of 2005, he has markedly enhanced the trade association’s capacity – increasing both its staff and budget by nearly fifty percent. A world-class advocacy organization playing a leading role in shaping public policy on a variety of fronts, BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

Mr. Greenwood represented Pennsylvania’s Eighth District in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 1993 through January 2005. A senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was widely viewed as a leader on healthcare and the environment. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Greenwood served as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, with oversight authority over issues in the full Committee’s vast jurisdiction.

Jay Vroom, President and CEO, CropLife America (CLA), Washington, D.C.

Jay Vroom, raised on a grain and livestock farm in north-central Illinois (which he still owns), has served as president and chief executive officer of CLA since 1989. A leader in U.S. agribusiness trade associations for his entire career, Vroom currently heads the leading trade group for the crop protection industry in the U.S. CLA is primarily involved in issue management and advocacy for the industry and its agricultural allies.

CLA performs federal and state lobbying, science and regulatory advocacy, and proactive litigation work on behalf of its members. Its principal issues revolve around articulating the benefits of crop technology in enhancing food, fiber and renewable fuel production; and advocating for clear, science-based regulations, which ensure the safe and effective use of crop protection tools.  Based in Washington, D.C., CLA operates with several affiliated organizations including CropLife Foundation, of which Vroom serves as board chairman; CropLife Political Action Committee, of which he serves as treasurer; and RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), a parallel organization to CLA which addresses issues pertinent to the non-agricultural uses of public health protection products and fertilizers.

About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center's scientists, news and research, including the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, the Center for Advanced Biofuel Research, and the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts. Public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new "Roots & Shoots" blog help keep visitors up to date with Center's current operations and areas of research.