Professor Appointed to National Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops and Sustainability

AMES, Iowa "“ The National Academies has appointed Iowa State University Agronomy Professor Micheal Owen to the National Research Council Committee on the Impact of Biotechnology on Farm Economics and Sustainability.

The ten-member committee will assess the impact of genetically modified crops on agricultural sustainability at the farm level during a one-year term. Their analysis will include productivity and economics of farms in the United States; agronomic practices including pesticide and herbicide use; soil and water management; and producer decision-making. The committee will convene in December in Irvine, Calif.

Owen, an Extension weed specialist at Iowa State for more than 25 years, received his bachelor's and master's degrees at Iowa State and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. His objective in extension programming is to develop information about weed biology, ecology and herbicides that can be used by growers to manage weeds with cost efficiency and environmental sensitivity.

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