Date post: | 15-Aug-2015 |
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New Strategies in Communicating Biotechnology to a Concerned Public
Kevin M. FoltaProfessor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
>70 Public personal contact points in biotech discussion/education• Seminars• Training• Webinar• Radio• Television• Podcast
Bio-talk-knowledgeyArizona State (33)Research Triangle (88)Iowa State University (~200 evening lecture,
~90 registered training)University of North Carolina (34, + classroom)University of Florida (188 reg, +>100 streaming)
Since lastvisit in 8/2014
Biotechnology Communication
Dietitians and Physicians
Farmers and Producers
Scientists and Students
Emphasize their role as a human contact point.
Emphasize that they share their priorities of health and fitness with audience.
Remind them that science-based applications will drive their reputations.
Emphasize their role as the expert in the seed/inputs
Remind them that they are not fairly represented in social media space.
Remind them that someone else is telling their story, and may affect long-term options.
Emphasize their role as the experts in science
Remind them that their projects are DOA without communication.
Remind them that funding options will change if they fail to participate in the discussion
Biotechnology Communication
Dietitians and Physicians
Farmers and Producers
Scientists and Students
Appeal to the need for new health solutions
Talk about new products that could make their jobs less difficult.
Inability to deploy their solutions.
They are taking over your literature
Their bad science decreases the value of your good science.
Common Threads ? March 6 meeting in Yuma
Robyn Stryker, University Arizona-- how to talk to those that disagree with you, changing minds
Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity-- Statistical breakdown of consumer concerns
Kevin Folta, University of Florida-- 15 years of public biotech outreach
Vance Crowe, Monsanto Corporation-- Effective communication in electronic media
Starting with Reminding Everyone we have itPretty Good
Our food supply in the USA has never been more diverse, safe and plentiful.
Food costs, as a function of annual income, have never been lower.
The fact that 99% of the country does not have to produce food, means there’s plenty of time for other innovations, leisure, etc.
Free Time + Internet Connection = Instant Experts!
Never before in history have humans enjoyed such immediate access to bad information.
Activists have invaded your literature.
One-off studies with limited power are over-interpreted
Why is there even a problem?
We need to understand
food, farming and technology!
We’re actually farmers, producers and scientists, but
we’re too busy.
How can we help you? We’re sorta
farmers, producers and scientists.
Here’s how we fix it.
1.Understand your audience2.Dispel the appeal to nature3.Establish your shared values4.Identify recombinant DNA successes5.Simplify the science, know the core concepts6.Emphasize missed opportunities
Rel
ativ
e nu
mbe
r in
pop
ulat
ion
Relative scientific understanding
Nonexperts
Farmers, scientists,
Etc.
MOST PEOPLE!!!!
FEAR FACTS
IdeaMap test.
>450 random participants
Compensated for time, select for feeling and willingness to buy
Identify triggers of negative perception
Trait – Food item – Who did it – method
Idea Map
Trait product Who? How?
You have a friend visiting and are preparing a meal. They have requested various fruits/vegetables, and you are making those
purchases.
Plant produces its own insect protectionWatermelon
University of ChicagoCross a plant with a wild relative
FAVO
RABL
EU
NFA
VORA
BLE
10
0
-10
-20
-30
strawberries
Plant Product
lettucegrapes
applescorn
carrotsalmonds
tomatoes
soybeans
plant has a higher amount of vitamin A, folate, and other nutrients
plant produces anti-cancer compounds
Trait
plant requires less water and fertilizer
plant is resistant to all pests, bacteria, insects, and fungi
plant requires less pesticide
plant produces antibodies against flu virus
plant removes toxic compounds from soil
plant is resistant to herbicides
plant consumes greater amounts of CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the air
Developed by
State University of Campinas, Brazil
Scientist sponsored by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
University of California - Davis
Bayer CorporationUSDA Laboratory, Beltsville MD
Harvard UniversityMonsanto Corporation
European Commission Funded LaboratoryManitoba Specialty Crops (4 full time employees)
traditional breeding and selection
splicing in a gene from the same species
changes of a plant's DNA due to naturally-occurring random mutations
taking out a gene with genetic engineeringsplicing in a gene from a plant, but not the same speciesadding a gene by crossing to a wild plant species never used in agriculture
addition of a bacterial gene using genetic engineering
adding an insect gene using genetic engineering
lab-induced mutations in the plant's DNA with radiation
Improvement Method
Turbyfill et al., unpub’d
K-Cluster Analysis-- Analyze all data together and pull out trends that contribute to, or correlate with, specific outcomes.
25-45 year old, college educated white females
Middle class>affluent> others
The results of these analysis suggest that our most effective efforts might be spent in colleges.
What are college female values?
How do we demonstrate how safe technology can enhance them?
WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
The center of the curve is composed of people that don’t know about food production, farming, and science.
They are concerned about food.
Be a teacher. Don’t be a condescending scientist.
Lead with personalization.
2. Dispel the appeal to nature
Remind audiences that genetic improvement of food is a continuum.
Almost none of the plants we regularly consume originated in North America. Almost all were brought here by humans.
None of the food you eat is like its “natural” form
GM technology is simply the most precise version of an age-old practice of breeding and selection.
All existing crops and animals have been radically reshaped by humans, to enhance performance that has aided the human condition.
3. Identify and Appeal to Shared Values
FACTS DON’T MATTER.
You have to start from SHARED VALUES.
What are some common themes shared by those that embrace the technology and those that deplore it ?
The human brain responds to stories. Tell yours.
Shared Values? Millennial Priorities
FarmersDeveloping World
The NeedyFood Safety
Environment
Consumers
Animal Welfare
4. Identify Recombinant DNA Successes
This is not “new and weird”
Discuss unfamiliar legacy examples- like insulin and cheesemaking enzymes that have rDNA origin
Papaya. Industry saved from Papaya Ringspot Virus
In agriculture, the technology has allowed farmers to produce the same yields with fewer inputs… less insecticide and lower impact, lower toxicity herbicides
The most criticized technology is the most precise and predictable one
5. Simplify the Science, Know a Few Core Concepts
Humans have always participated in plant and animal genetic improvement.
Transgenic technology (familiar “GMO”) is a precise extension of conventional plant breeding.
“The techniques used pose no more risk (actually less risk) than conventional breeding.” (NAS, AAAS, AMA, EFSA many others)
In 18 years of use in plants, there has not been one case of illness or death related to these products. No approved animals.
In the USA there are several traits used in only 8 (- +) commercial crops
What are the Three Main Traits?
Virus Resistance
Insect Resistance
Herbicide Resistance
(how the traits work lecture online – (google “ UF biotechnology literacy day”)
Glyphosate resistant and insect resistant crops, while helpful to farmers, do not warm the hearts and minds of the general public
These are not “Big Ag”– these are solutions we have in public universities, solutions the public paid for, can’t be used.
Talk about how your science, your colleagues’ science, your field can satisfy your shared values
6. Emphasize missed opportunities.
When Talking to Farmers
•Legacy traits are ancient•Precision farming needs precision genetics•New products drive on-farm profit•Proposed products could do more
• Drought-guard• Anti-nematode• Anti-Fungal• Pest resistance• Better yields• Uniformity in products• Better post-harest quality
Golden Rice
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Opposition to golden rice cost $2 billion to farmers in developing countries and 1.4 million human years – Wesseler et al., 2014
Cassava
Virus Resistant Cassava (VIRCA)
Biocassava Plus (BC Plus)
250 million depend on cassava
50 million tons lost to virus.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Stopping Citrus Greening
90% of groves infected
No clear solution from breeding, nutrition, insect control
Industry crashing
Biotech solutions look promising.
Earliest deregulation is 2019
Episode 013 (planned)
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
GE chickens do not pass on Avian Influenza
Episode 007
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
X
X Animal welfare
AquaBounty Salmon – attains market weight in less time. Salmon may be farmed on inland pools, generating high protein food on fewer inputs.
Episode 008
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
X
X Wild populations
Non Browning ApplesSilencing a gene that leads to discoloration
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Small Business!X
When Talking to Physicians/Dietitians
•Current successes in health space (insulin)•Health Solutions, not used•Critical needs, proposed solutions•Reality of solutions•The cost of not taking action
Biofortification- Engineering metabolism so that plants can produce needed compounds
Beta caroteneMicronutrient deficiency
Folate
Anthocyanin
High oleic soy oils
Decreasing toxic compounds
Low acrylamide potatoes
Decreased presence of acrylamide, a naturally-forming compound upon frying/high heat cooking
Low gossypol cotton seed
Cotton seeds contain high protein, but are not used in the human diet because of gossypol. Transgenic plants have been made with low gossypol levels.
Better performance from standard varieties
Non-browning apple
More likely to be eaten, can be used in wider recipes and food service application
Non-browning potato
More potatoes from the same amount of farm inputs
Avoid these Mistakes
Avoid “feed the world” rhetoric– Provide specifics.
Always discuss strengths and limitations
Don’t ever claim biotech as a single solution, described it as part of an integrated plan.
Never get backed into the “science no”“Can you guarantee that these are absolutely safe?”
How do we measure progress?
This is the challenge for 2015-2016
How many are engaging in public fora?Farmers?Dietitians?etc.
Incorporate surveys, etc. ???
Where do I get good information?
Warm welcome Cold facts
GMOanswers.com
Biofortified.org
geneticliteracyproject.com
GMOLOL On Facebook
Illumination
Thank you,Get involved!
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
Follow FOIA developments using #Science14
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM
www.talkingbiotech.comIntensive workshops at your
university or company, at low / no cost to you.