The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) sponsored a three-day symposium in Washington, D.C., June 2010, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Thirty-two presenters, speaking individually or as panelists, addressed the topic of Sustaining Animal Agriculture: Balancing Bioethical, Economic, and Social Issues.

Part 9, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.” Animal biotechnology, which includes both genetic engineering and mammalian cloning, has expanded rapidly in recent decades. These technologies already have been applied in biomedical research and now are nearing application within the food system.

This timely Issue Paper (IP 45) includes a preface from Dr. Norman E. Borlaug and has been prepared as an update of CAST Paper No. 1, written by Dr. Borlaug in 1973. The authors of the current paper address (1) future demands facing agriculture; (2) the relationship of bioenergy and bioproducts to agriculture; (3) major issues impacting future U.S. agricultural productivity; (4) major issues facing agricultural productivity in other parts of the world; (5) strategies to meet future food needs; and (6) examples of research areas that could enable the next “Green Revolution.”

Despite current uncertainty about the United States’ economic future, most reports suggest that growth will resume and competition for freshwater will continue.As one of the largest users of water in the United States, agriculture will be impacted significantly by changes in water availability and cost.

This Commentary explores the interaction between the regulatory policy of the Endangered Species Act, public perception, and science in relation to the interpretation of risk to endangered species from various “stressors” associated with agricultural practices.

PART 8, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.” This new paper, “Animal Productivity and Genetic Diversity: Cloned and Transgenic Animals,” discusses two of the most recent reproductive technologies used to improve agronomic traits in livestock. One main limitation to the further development and use of these technologies has been the lack of public acceptance.

Fresh produce safety continues to be of paramount importance. While the fresh produce industry is striving to improve its food safety record, consumers must continue to be aware of practices in the home which raise the risk of foodborne infection from their fresh produce.

This new CAST Special Publication (SP 30), “Sustainability of U.S. Soybean Production: Conventional, Transgenic, and Organic Production Systems,” documents the ecological and economic implications of the various systems used in U.S. soybean production. Soybean production has changed in the United States since its first introduction in the mid-1880s. Initially, the crop was produced mainly for forage and received only minimal inputs

The use of individual gestation accommodations (IGAs) for dry sows in commercial pork production is an issue that has raised much debate. Public perceptions and misconceptions of welfare issues have the potential to dramatically impact swine production.

When producers decide which carcass disposal method to use, they must consider the number of mortalities, the cause of death and whether infectious agents are involved, environmental implications, regulatory requirements, operational costs, and efficiency.