Washington, D.C. – Dr. Norman Borlaug would have turned 100 this year on March 25. In his honor, the State of Iowa unveiled the 7-ft. bronze statue to be displayed in the National Statuary Hall Collection during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Building on Tuesday.

Known as one of the greatest agricultural scientists, Dr. Borlaug’s research on wheat improvement and development of disease resistant and high yielding wheat varieties has had a profound impact on wheat production. Dr. Borlaug’s research is credited with saving a billion lives.

Dr. Borlaug advocated for biotechnology and the crucial role he saw for feeding and enhancing the nutrition of those still in tenuous food security situations.  He argued that we must rely on science and research to answer the questions about GMO foods.

“Dr. Borlaug laid the groundwork for biotechnology through his wheat research. Biotechnology can help ensure that wheat continues to be a valuable source of nutrition for people around the world and a staple of American agriculture for generations to come,” commented Paul Penner NAWG president and farmer from Hillsboro, Kans.

The U.S. wheat industry recognizes the potential benefits and value that could be created within the wheat chain through the prudent application of modern biotechnology.

Wheat is a vital food to all peoples of the world and by developing higher yielding, better quality wheat varieties we can better supply the growing world population with wheat food products.

For more information about the wheat industry’s biotech policies is available at https://wheatworld.org/issues/biotech/.