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Twenty years ago, when agricultural biotechnology was a novel term, there were some who questioned the impact this new technology would have. Since that time, scientists, academic institutions and government agencies have researched, reviewed and debated studies on the benefits and safety of genetically engineered food and feed — as well as the environmental safety of the technology.

Today, 25 Nobel Prize recipients and more than 3,400 prominent scientists have expressed their support for plant biotechnology as a "powerful and safe" way to improve agriculture and the environment. In 2008, 13.3 million farmers in 25 countries echoed that support by planting 309 million acres (125 million hectares) of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Conversations about Plant Biotechnology is designed to give a voice and a face to the farmers and families who grow GM crops and the experts who research and study the safety and benefits of biotechnology in agriculture. In early 2005, we began sending a video crew to several countries around the world. They had one simple instruction: Have a conversation with growers and experts about their experiences with GM crops. There are no set questions and no scripted answers. And, no one is reimbursed for his or her participation.

The result? Two- to three-minute, extremely candid, straightforward and compelling video segments with the people who know the technology best. And, we've tried to provide it to you in the same straightforward, simple way:

  • Visit our Video Gallery to quickly view multiple videos in one visit, or to download a video for future use. (Downloaded videos subject to our End-User License Conditions.)
  • Access the same videos in the Farmers, Experts or Topics areas of the Web site in traditional Web pages with a biographical sketch of the individual, the video transcript and a related article. On these pages, you can use our Printer-Friendly feature to produce a reference or handout of any video segment.

If you like what you see, we encourage you to subscribe to our e-Newsletter by submitting your e-mail address below. We'll send a note to you when new video conversations about the safety and benefits of genetically engineered food and crops are added to the site — typically once or twice a month. We’d also like to hear what you think of our Web site, so please e-mail us with your comments, questions and ideas.

The Conversations about Plant Biotechnology Web site is hosted by Monsanto Company — a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.