Today’s generation are starting to be classified as foodies, but are they clueless?

Some say yes.

During the 2014 Bayer Crop Science Ag Issues Forum in San Antonio, Texas, Bayer Marketing VP for Agricultural Commercial Operations, David Hollinrake said there’s never been a more exciting time in agriculture.

But with that excitement comes concern.

Pest resistance, regulatory scrutiny and water use to name a few.

“We know farmers need a lot of tools and biotechnology is one,” said Hollinrake.

The challenge is current marketing says organic is safer.

Julie Borlaug, external relations associate director for the Norman Borlaug Institute, points to marketing campaigns against GMO’s that are unnecessary attacks on agriculture.

Those attacks coming from companies like Chipotle or Whole Foods are simply marketing, Borlaug said. Those companies are trying to cash in a niche market.

“Whole Foods is no different than Monsanto. Both are profit driven,” Borlaug said. “Most Americans don’t understand the importance of GMOs. They’ve never seen a food shortage.”

Blogger and farmer Brian Scott, grows popcorn in Indiana.

“Even the popcorn I grow is labeled as GMO and gluten free because there is no such thing as GMO popcorn,” Scott said.

Scott was part of a panel of bloggers who focus on agriculture which concluded it’s all a marketing ploy, from GMO free Cheerio’s to Chipotle.

Organic sounds safer, natural and wonderful but that’s not exactly the case, according to Borlaug.

For example, there is no standard for organic.

Currently, as Borlaug pointed out, oranges need protected from pest and disease.  To do so, they only way is heavy chemical use.  But, biotechnology can change that.

“Advocates of biotech desperately need to do a better job of telling the public how important it is for our future,” Borlaug said.

With farmers being asked to grow more with less, biotechnology has to continue to grow.  The way opponents argue against biotechnology and wanting to go back to agriculture production from 50-100 years ago cannot be done and is not sustainable, noted Borlaug.

“Were talking to moms who believe everything on Facebook and are anti-corporate except for their iPhones,” Borlaug said.

How does agriculture grab their attention? Make agriculture sexy, cool or hip.  Make the response simpler and not full of scientific jargon.

“We know farmers need a lot of tools to feed the world, and GMOs are one of those tools needed.”