Wendelyn Jones
Director of Global Policy and Scientific Affairs, DuPont Pioneer
Expert Bio
I have the exciting job of working with the food value chain to meet their customer requirements. As the Director of Global Policy and Scientific Affairs, the best part of my job is getting to work with talented team members across the globe to solve important challenges - raising enough crops to meet our growing food, fuel and fiber needs. Working for DuPont Crop Protection, I help ensure the products we sell are carefully and responsibly managed and that all regulatory requirements are satisfied. Ultimately, my job is to deliver the right tools for managing pests into customer hands as quickly and safely as possible. In previous roles, I have served as Director of Registration & Regulatory Affairs and Global Policy and Scientific Affairs for a range of agricultural technologies. In my free time, I spoil my dog and I enjoy cooking for family and friends.
Studies, Articles and Answers
Showing 8 out of 8 results
Question
A: GMO Answers has received several questions asking why GMOs have been banned in 30 countries or 60 countries. This is simply not true. Although GMOs may be grown on a small percentage of the hectares in some European countries, they routinely import GMOs for food and feed use. A previous response to a similar question discusses this issue in detail. We also commonly hear concern that there are no longer-term feeding studies. A review of several long-term feeding studies was published by Snell et al. in 2012 and can be found here. In addition, the Biofortified website contai [...]
Health & Safety How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: All of us at Monsanto are very active and proud in supporting the communities where we operate and where our farmer customers live. In 2012, Monsanto Company and Monsanto Fund―our philanthropic arm―collectively provided more than $32.2 million across the globe. Additionally, more than 4,600 employees logged more than 54,000 volunteer hours in the Americas alone.Following are a few additional details and examples of our efforts: Monsanto Fund is focused on one goal: strengthening farming communities and the communities where our employees live and work. In 2012, Monsanto Fund distributed [...]
A: Corporate Citizenship is critical to how Dow interprets and responds to external sustainability and responsibility expectations. Dow AgroSciences, the Dow Chemical Company and the Dow Chemical Company Foundation provide charitable gifts to eligible non-profit organizations in the communities where Dow operates that contribute to community success, support sustainability, foster science in society and stimulate innovation. Established in 1979, the Dow Chemical Foundation contributes to a more sustainable world by supporting charitable initiatives focused on community success, science education [...]
A: At DuPont Pioneer, we are proud to give back to our communities. It's important to us to invest in the many neighborhoods around the globe where our customers and employees live and work. Among other commitments, we provide volunteer resources and financial contributions to help improve farmer safety, young-farmer opportunities, food quality and access, and education at all levels. For example, we contributed important sorghum research in Africa to increase the amount and stability of pro-vitamin A, iron and zinc, and also to improve protein digestibility. This is important, considering nearl [...]
A: At Syngenta, our focus is on helping feed the growing world population by helping farmers around the globe grow more from less—less land, water, fossil fuel, carbon release and other impacts to the environment and people. Check it out here. Many of our 27,000 employees volunteer, and the company funds mainly conservation, agricultural education and related efforts around the world. Also, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture works in developing countries and emerging markets to help small farmers both feed their families and contribute to global food security. We [...]
Business Practices GMOs & FarmersQuestion
A: As an employee of the agricultural biotechnology sector, I can attest that the industry takes any new studies related to the safety of GM crops very seriously. As such, I reviewed the paper by Carman et al. with interest at the time it was published and reread in order to best answer your question. The paper reports that pigs fed GMOs had inflamed stomachs based on visual evaluation of redness. However, the paper also shows that pigs fed non-GMO diets also had inflamed stomachs. The authors chose not to comment on the table in the paper that shows there were more pigs with [...]
GMO Basics Health & SafetyQuestion
A: Food packaging, labeling and marketing laws vary greatly by geography and even within geographies. In the United States, all food is labeled in accordance with Food and Drug Administration policy, which is the same for foods derived from biotechnology as it is for conventional foods. When a food product derived from biotechnology differs in composition, nutritional value or end use, that difference must be noted on the label, just as it is with other foods (e.g., margarine versus low-fat margarine). Most foods from biotech crops are not different by FDA standar [...]
Health & Safety How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: We have answered a question previously about why labeling is different in geographies around the world that may help answer your question: “Food packaging, labeling and marketing laws vary greatly by geography and even within geographies. In the United States, all food is labeled in accordance with Food and Drug Administration policy, which is the same for foods derived from biotechnology as it is for conventional foods. When a food product derived from biotechnology differs in composition, nutritional value or end use, that difference must be noted [...]
GMOs in Groceries Health & Safety LabelingQuestion
A: You are correct that it requires a tremendous investment of both time and resources to bring a new biotech crop to market. A survey completed in 2011 found the cost of discovery, development and authorization of a new plant biotechnology trait introduced between 2008 and 2012 was $136 million. On average, about 26 percent of those costs ($35.1 million) were incurred as part of the regulatory testing and registration process. The same study found that the average time from initiation of a discovery project to commercial launch is about 13 years. The longest phase of product development is [...]
Health & SafetyQuestion
A: Crop protection products are used in Hawaii – and elsewhere – to help farmers protect their crops. These products may include insecticides (to manage insect pests), herbicides (to control weeds) and fungicides (for disease management). Without these products, it is estimated that 40 percent of crop harvests would be lost due to pest damage. One only needs to look to backyard vegetable gardens to see how significantly these pests can impact growing plants. All of the crop protection products used in Waimea, Kauai have been reviewed and approved by both the U.S. [...]
Question
A: According to an opinion piece by Washington farmer Mark Wagoner written earlier this year, it can take the U.S. more than three years to grant approval of a new biotech product. USDA conducts a mandatory review of GM plants to assess whether or not they will impact the environment and will be safe to grow. EPA conducts a mandatory review of GM plants that are insect or herbicide resistant to assess whether or not they will impact the environment. The EPA also regulates the use of all crop protection products that control weeds and provide protection against insects and [...]
Health & Safety How GMOs Are Made