Eric Sachs

Eric Sachs is one of the speakers at the pro-GM "study week" on Transgenic Plants for Food Security in the Context of Development at the Pontifical Academy in Rome, 15-19 May 2009. The following is his biography in the publicity brochure for the event:

Dr. Eric Sachs was awarded degrees at Texas A&M University and the University of California, Davis. He has worked at Monsanto Company, St. Louis, for 30+ years and has played a key role in the development and application of agricultural biotechnology or GM crops. He currently is Lead, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, and his group focuses on increasing understanding and acceptance of GM crops. His primary responsibilities include: broadly communicating principles of risk assessment and risk management of GM crops; enabling the development and application of harmonized GM crop regulations based on science and comparative risk; responding to false and misleading claims regarding biotechnology regulation, food and feed safety, environmental impacts, and socio-economic impacts; supporting and encouraging the development of independent, third-party studies that examine the safety and impacts of approved biotech crops; and providing stewardship oversight of responsible weed resistance management for herbicide tolerant biotech crops, and geographically appropriate, product focused, insect resistance management for insect-protected biotech crops. As a leader and communicator within the private sector, he successfully uses his knowledge of science and biotechnology, experience, and passion to communicate the safety and benefits of GM crops, to demystify the science of biotechnology, and to build confidence among the public.