Loeffler Introduces Georgia Witness at Agriculture Committee Hearing

Dr. Wayne Parrott is distinguished research professor of crop, soil sciences at University of Georgia

 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) introduced Dr. Wayne Parrott of the University of Georgia in today’s Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing on agriculture innovation and the federal biotechnology regulatory framework.
 
As an expert in the field, Dr. Parrott was invited to provide insight on plant genetic engineering, how federal agencies can better coordinate the approval and regulation of new biotechnology, and how biotechnology can help expand crop variety, improve yields, and mitigate challenges farmers in Georgia and across the country face every day.
 
To watch Loeffler’s full introduction, click the below image or click here.

SEN. LOEFFLER: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Stabenow, and my colleagues for your warm welcome to this committee. Having grown up on a family farm working in the fields and the feedlots, I’m truly honored to serve on this committee and serve our nation’s farmers. And I also thank you for the privilege of introducing one of our witnesses for today, Dr. Wayne Parrott.
 
“Parrott has pursued an esteemed career in a field I personally hold dear, as well as the leading industry in my home state: Agriculture. Dr. Wayne Parrott is a distinguished research professor in the department of crop and soil sciences at the University of Georgia. An alumnus of the University of Kentucky and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he joined the University of Georgia in Athens in 1988.
 
“Dr. Parrott has been a Georgia bulldog for more than 25 years, where he led biotechnology research for the improvement of crop plants, particularly genetic engineering and gene editing. Dr. Parrott’s work aims to solve agronomic problems facing farmers in Georgia and across our country, such as resistance to insects and increased efficiency of bioenergy grasses.
 
“Thanks to the work done by Dr. Parrott and his colleagues, UGA has become a world-renowned center for agriculture research. The work done at UGA has changed the game and offered a model for safe, effective, and thorough research, and the application of new seed biotechnology. 
 
“In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Parrot has made a difference in the professional agriculture industry. Most recently, he served on the board of directors for the Society for In Vitro Biology, and was elected to the Soybean Genetics Executive Committee and American Society of Plant Biology.
 
“Through his accomplishments and associations, though I’ve just mentioned a few, they hardly do his career justice. His impact on agriculture science and research – as well as our future farmers’ education – are lasting. I’ve heard the term ‘Rockstar’ used to describe Dr. Parrott and his work in biotechnology, and it’s easy to understand when you take a look at his accomplishments.  
 
“I thank this committee for allowing me to introduce Dr. Parrott, and I thank him and all of our witnesses for being here with us today.”