Now and in the near future, the products of food biotechnology provide food quality improvements which include better taste and healthier foods. Agronomic or "input" traits create value by giving plants the ability to do things that increase production or reduce the need for other inputs such as chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Our current products with input traits include potatoes, corn and soybeans that produce better yields with fewer costly inputs through better control of pests and weeds. Already, we're growing potatoes that use 40% less chemical insecticide than would be possible using traditional techniques. Quality traits — or "output" traits — help create value for consumers by enhancing the quality of the food and fiber produced by the plant. Likely future offerings include potatoes that will absorb less oil when fried, corn and soybeans with an increased protein content, tomatoes with a fresher flavor and strawberries that retain their natural sweetness. Someday, seeds will become energy-efficient, environmentally friendly production facilities that can manufacture products which are today made from nonrenewable resources. A canola plant, for example, could serve as a factory to add beta carotene to canola oil to alleviate the nutritional deficiency that causes night blindness. "The benefits of biotechnology are many and include providing resistance to crop pests to improve production and reduce chemical pesticide usage, thereby making major improvements in both food quality and nutrition." World Health Organization Expert Consultation on Biotechnology and Food Safety; October 1996

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