Woodbury, MN – Feeding the world poses a challenge to even the most humanitarian minded individuals, especially when that goal is pushed against the reality of protecting the environment and the land responsible for creating the food we eat.

As the world population climbs by an estimate 90 million people annually, the world’s farmers will be pressured to increase their food production by 50% to feed about 2 billion more people by 2020. This increase and demand on our land places further stress on our already fragile ecosystem.

In the United States alone, urban and suburban sprawl has encroached upon large sectors of the nation’s traditional farmland. According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, this sprawl destroys about half a million acres of fertile farmland each year.

But to attempt to feed the world through improved farming techniques, our environment doesn’t have to suffer. We can balance a growing population with environmental consideration; in other words, we can have the best of both worlds. By relying on new technologies to help unlock the secrets of providing more abundant crops with fewer acres, we can utilize land traditionally less fertile, without negatively impacting production.

Plant biotechnology is an advancement that has and will continue to help us produce enough food for an ever-increasing population, while reducing the impact on our fragile environment. In the two decades since researcher announced they successfully developed the first plants enhanced by biotechnology, several biotech crops have been adopted and cultivated by farmers across the United States and world. Those crops are helping farmers conserve natural resources and reduce physical stresses on the land, offering an effective way to deliver high yields and maintain healthy environment.

Through the advent of biotechnology, crops such as soybeans, corn, cotton and canola have been made tolerant to certain herbicides. These crops are giving farmers a new tool to control weeds more effectively and help reduce the amount of plowing farmers need to do to control weeds.

Conservation tillage, as it is known, allows farmers to reduce soil erosion, retain soil moisture, reduce fuel consumption and create improved sources of food and wildlife habitat – all while helping to feed the world. In fact, according to the Conservation Technology Information Center, almost 1 billion tons per year of soil savings have occurred because of the adoption of various conservation tillage practices.

Because many biotech crops produce more food per acre, they conserve the land. World Bank experts state that biotechnology could boost food productivity in the developing world by as much as 25%. This is particularly promising in areas prone to drought or flood, and where soil is less than optimal for growing food.

It is possible to feed the world and protect the environment at the same time, thanks to the advancements in biotechnology and other agricultural sciences. We salute those who have kept us vigilant in balancing the needs of feeding the world and its people, while meeting the shared goal of protecting and saving the environment for generations to come.

Editor’s Note: Cruea is national president of Women Involved in Farm Economics.