ASA offers its congratulations to the winners of the 2013 World Food Prize:

• Marc Van Montagu, Founder and Chairman of the Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach at Ghent University in Belgium;
• Mary-Dell Chilton, Founder and Distinguished Fellow of Syngenta Biotechnology; and
• Robert T. Fraley, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Monsanto.

In announcing the 2013 Laureates, Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize, emphasized the impact and potential of their work.

"These three scientists are being recognized for their independent, individual breakthrough achievements in founding, developing, and applying modern agricultural biotechnology," Quinn said. "Their research is making it possible for farmers to grow crops with improved yields, resistance to insects and disease, and the ability to tolerate extreme variations in climate."

The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing individuals whose achievements have advanced human development by increasing the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.

The first biotech crop was planted commercially in 1996. Since then, worldwide acceptance of the benefits of agricultural biotechnology has grown rapidly in a short period of time. Biotechnology is important to every faction of the soy industry—from the consumer who relies on the safety of his or her food, to the farmer who plants and harvests soybeans and other commodities.

"While there are those who may not support our advanced research in biotechnology, the need for food security and the opportunity for farmers around the world to meet the growing demand is much more important than any differences of opinion that exist. The World Food Prize provides us an important platform to engage in a new global dialogue around enabling farmer access to advanced agriculture tools while ensuring a sustainable food supply for all." —Robert T. Fraley	"It is gratifying that our work, which started as curiosity-driven fundamental research, has now found worldwide application in agriculture with the promise of benefitting all mankind. The committee’s decision to award the World Food Prize to biotechnology researchers will help convey to consumers the value, utility and safety of genetically modified crops." —Mary-Dell Chilton	"The World Food Prize recognizes achievements extremely precious for society. I’m very honored to be selected as a laureate. To me, this emphasizes the importance of GMO technology as a contribution toward sustainable food production." —Marc Van Montagu