Introduction to the GO: a user’s guide Iowa State Workshop 11 June 2009.
Biotalknowledgey Workshop at Iowa State
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Transcript of Biotalknowledgey Workshop at Iowa State
Bio-Talk-Nowledge-y
Communicating the Science of Science Communication
Kevin M. FoltaProfessor and Chair
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
"There is a path to truth and sincerity that you must guard and defend“
-- Teruyuki Okazaki
Structure:
Hour 1 Introductions, justification, nuts and bolts on how biotech crops work
Hour 2 Why is there a problem? Mythbusting.
Break Break
Hour 3 Rethinking biotech communication / missed opportunities
Goal
You should be able to:
Discuss these topics with authority
Organize public discussions, participate in debate
Forward the scientific discussion in social media
Today is a first step.
Why bother?
Negatives
You get a lot of grief.
It takes time.
Positives
It is sharing science, educating
Most people just don’t understand
The acceptance of good technology is delayed by non-scientific resistance.
What happens if we do nothing?
Introduction of bad public policy
Misdirection from legitimate problems
Delaying emerging science that could benefit
Suspicion of proven successes
Mistrust of science/scientists
Reliance on less useful technology
Public labs, small co’s can’t compete
Harming non-GMO industries
Communicating the Message (Specific)
• Master a central core of key concepts
• Understand mechanisms of current traits
• Know how to convey concepts to the scientifically illiterate without “dumbing it down”
• Be able to address basic mythology
• Emphasize lost opportunities
• Active engagement and participation
Increasing difficulty
Nuts and Bolts of Frankenfoods
Kevin M. FoltaAssociate Professor and Chair
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
Central Core Concepts
Humans have always participated in plant genetic improvement.
Transgenic crop 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 there has not been one case of illness or death related to these products
In the USA there are several traits used in only eight commercial crops (others have been deregulated, but are not currently used)
It is not natural…
The first step is to defuse the appeal to nature fallacy, that is, if it is natural, it is superior to anything with human intervention.
All due to mutations and genomic alterations
All required human intervention for breeding and/or selection
GM Adoption
GM Crops Available Now
Three Main Traits
Virus Resistance
Insect Resistance
Herbicide Resistance
How do we make a transgenic plant?
Get gene of interest into a single cell
Exploit the property of “Totipotency”
How Do We Add a Gene to a Plant?
Totipotency
Introduce the concept of plant cellular plasticity.
Cuttings, rooting
Plant cells can change identity
Some single cells can regenerate into a whole new plant, a clone.
Try that with your animal cells!
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
A plant pathogen that injects its DNA into the plant upon infection. This allows the bacterium to createan environment where it can best survive.
Agrobacterium species occur naturally and areresponsible for causing “galls” in infected plants.
Scientists have exploited this property of the organism to performgene transfer in the laboratory!
New plants contain new gene constructs
How Do We Make this Understandable?
Turn OFF something that normally is ON
Turn ON something that is normally OFF or not there
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
DNA – genetic material, Hard copy safe in the nucleus of a cell
RNA – Transient copy of the same information (+/-)
Protein – Does the work! Enzymes, structures, etc.
Papaya Ringspot VirusGood example of RNAi suppression
Gene Silencing
GM papaya saved an industry, not a Big Ag product
Share the vision, what else could we silence? - allergens- anti-nutrients- physiology associated with post-harvest decay- many others!!
Turn something ON that isn’t there normally
GMO Crops Make Pesticides
Bt is one of many natural anti-insect proteins
Bt is one of many natural anti-insect proteins
How Bt Works
bt
Advantages
Decrease in broad-spectrum insecticide use on corn and cotton
Lower fuel and labor costs for farmers
Solid dividends in the developing world
No effect on beneficials
Limitations
Need to plant refugia to slow resistance
Pockets of resistance are seen and require use of insecticides
Requires careful scouting
Roundup Ready Products
A gene is inserted that allows plants to survive in the presence of the herbicide. Farmers can spray to kill non-transgenic plants.
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B C Aminoacids proteins
epsps
glyphosate
XPlants
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B C Aminoacids proteins
epspsglyphosate
X
A B C Aminoacids proteins
epsps
Plants
Bacteria
glyphosate
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B C Aminoacids proteins
epsps
epsps
Plants
X
glyphosate
A B C Aminoacids proteins
Bacteria
glyphosate
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B C Aminoacids proteins
epsps
Plants
glyphosate
Resistance!
•Talk about limitations
The point is– this is not a scientific debate.- benefits far outweigh limitations and new solutions are coming.
This is not a farming debate.-farmers freely choose the technology because it works.
This is a SOCIAL debate fueled by fear and misinformation.
Mythbusting – What We Hear vs What Actually Is True
Kevin M. FoltaAssociate Professor and Chair
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
Who is most influential in the discussion?
Oz Smith Shiva Adams Mercola Food Babe
There is money to be made in manufacturing risk.
Activists can hijack venues that appear scientific
Predatory publishing allows publication of work that lacks scientific rigor
A lot of this is anti-corporate sentiment
“They hate corporations more than they love people” – Hank Campbell, Science 2.0
Manufacturing Risk
True or False?
“Terminator” Seeds
Farmers Forced to Buy Seeds
Farmers do what works
Seeds are well trialed before adoption
Non-transgenic options are available
They do sign a binding agreement when buying seeds
Litigation for severe breaches, not for “a few seeds blown into field”
Agent Orange Seeds!
2,4-D is a synthetic auxin
It was used as a component of Agent Orange, one of the “rainbow herbicides”
2,4-D and 2,4,5-T were used in Agent Orange, as defoliant in SE Asia military campaigns
2,4,5-T contained co-purifying dioxin that caused health problems
Manufactured by 16 companies for the campaign
The disinformation machine
Manufacture of risk around transgenic technologyTo make a few bucksTo promote their productsTo drive an anti-corporate agenda
This false information resonates to concerned individuals
The bad information clouds the conversation and slows deployment of good technology
True or False?
Kathage and Qian 2012
True or False?
Seralini et al 2012Figure 3
Relative number of Starbucks
Organic food sales
Manufacturing the Perception of Riskconfusing correlation and causality
Standard Curve
Log (Input) ng/ml
Det
ectio
n Lo
g ng
/ml
*cord*maternal
GROWTH in CULTURE HORMONE DETECTION
3/21/15
But what does the anti-GM movement say?
The disinformation machine
Manufacture of risk around transgenic technologyTo make a few bucksTo promote their productsTo drive an anti-corporate agenda
This false information resonates to concerned individuals
The bad information clouds the conversation and slows deployment of good technology
Part 3 – How to Talk About How to Talk About Science
Kevin M. FoltaProfessor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
Everyone Loves New Technology
New Awareness
FarmersDeveloping World
The NeedyFood Safety
Environment
Consumers
But What About Agricultural Biotechnology?
Generally:
People don’t have any idea what it is.
People don’t know how biology works.
Few understand farming and supply chains.
The just know that they don’t like biotech crops.
Rel
ativ
e nu
mbe
r in
popu
latio
n
Relative scientific understanding
ActivistsFarmers,scientists,
Etc.
MOST PEOPLE!!!!
Based on findings from UF PIE Center
1996 Today Wide ApplicationSmart RegulationPublic Participation
Minor CropsConsumer Traits
Acceptance GapX years
Minor effectors:Continued safe implementationConsumer-centric traits
Major effectors:Decreasing credibility of vocal minorityRecognition as complementary / synergistic
with organic/sustainable
#1 EffectorCommunication via high-credibility channels
Less impact of “leaders”
Lost opportunities rise
Shifting the Middle
Communicating the Message (General)
• Communication is listening and responding• You must prove that you understand their concern• Always discuss strengths and limitations• If you don’t know, offer to find out• This is about sharing science, not beating people
to death with it.
• This is not as much a scientific exercise as a communications exercise.
Communicating the Message (Specific)
• Master a central core of key concepts
• Understand mechanisms of current traits
• Know how to convey concepts to the scientifically illiterate without “dumbing it down”
• Be able to address basic mythology
• Emphasize lost opportunities
• Active engagement and participation
Increasing difficulty
Central Core Concepts
Humans have always participated in plant genetic improvement.
Transgenic crop 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 17 years there has not been one case of illness or death related to these products
In the USA there are several traits used in only nine commercial crops
How do we fix this?
First – Dispelling the Naturalistic Fallacy
Remind audiences that genetic improvement of food is a continuum.
Very little of the food you eat comes from here.
None of the food you eat is like its “natural” form
GM technology is simply the most precise version of an age-old practice.
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
“FACTS DON’T MATTER.”- Tamar Haspel
People reject the validity of scientific conclusions if they contradict their deeply held views
“Backfire Effect”- when confronted with evidence that is contrary to their views, people tend to believe that the evidence is distorted. They also “dig in the heels” with their beliefs
Cultural Cognition – belief in trangenic harm as part of a package of beliefs
False Equivalence, “no consensus among scientists”
To win hearts and minds we have to come at it from a different angle.
Humanization- I’m a parent… I care about my community… My family’s health is my priority…
Your Priorities- Profits for farmers… low environmental impacts… Food for those that need it… affordable, safe food in the industrialized world…
You can lead smart people to a conclusion- Ask questions, based on impacts for people and the environment.
Your Role is to be a More Trusted Source
1. Your job- “I work for you”, “I would not be able to sleep at night knowing I did something dangerous”
2. Your funding- “all public record”, “companies sell to farmers, if they are not happy, we don’t profit”, “if anyone were to be harmed we’d be out of business”
3. If you have connections to ag companies, talk about them.
4. Know the role of your institution in sponsorship, etc.
Transparency builds trust, trust helps communication.
Avoid these Mistakes
Avoid “feed the world” rhetoric
Discuss strengths and limitations
Not a panacea, not a disaster
Never get backed into the “science no”
“Can you guarantee that these are absolutely safe?”
Rely on Graphics Over Words
Instead of “glyphosate is relatively harmless- don’t worry about it.”
Emphasize the acceptance of technology by farmers.
• Farmers have credibility
• Farmers are tough customers
• Emphasize yield trials, farm trials
Emphasize Scientific Consensus
Social Media Action Step
Start a blog. Write weekly
Get a Twitter account. Post daily
Talk to one person a week that does not understand biotechnology
Contact your representatives and make your voice heard.
Know how to find the educators and reach out to them.
Watch the News, Engage the Comments, Create the Contrast
Use your real name
Provide an email address
Offer to help interpret the media
Always be as kind as possible
My outreach program centers on biotech education
• Improved public understanding• Teaching scientists to be better communicators• Engaging public audiences• Contributing to the social media discussion• Helping to teach those that do not understand
the technology.
Outreach program
Funding from Federal, State sources, some hort crops industry• “How much from Monsanto?”
• Folta = $0• Folta Research = $0• Horticultural Sciences Department (5 years) = $0• UF (5 years) =~$21,000
How do we participate effectively? Winning the Emotional CapitalConsequences and Lost Opportunities
Opposition to this technology has significant costs.
The needyThe environmentFarmersConsumers
Technology Exists NOW
Research has been published demonstrating that transgenic techniques can:
Help farmers.
Biofortify foods with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients
Grow plants in marginal areas
Grow plants with fewer inputs Efficient use of fertilizersInsect resistanceDisease resistance
GMO 2.0
Kevin M. FoltaAssociate Professor and Chair
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
Technology Exists NOW
Research has been published demonstrating that transgenic techniques can:
Biofortify foods with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients
Grow plants in marginal areas
Grow plants with fewer inputs Efficient use of fertilizersInsect resistanceDisease resistance
Strawberries requiring less fungicide
Strawberries are the most fungicide-intensive crop
Overexpression of the NPR1 gene allows them to grow in presence of high fungal pressure.
Plants overexpressing NPR1 were inoculated with a series of pathogens and moved to warm, humid conditions.
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
Survives moderate drought, especially at key times like flowering It is based on overexpression of a maize stress gene
Non transgenic transgenic
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Allergy-Free Peanuts
Peanut – RNAi suppression Ara h2 X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Allergy Free Wheat Using RNAi to repress gliadin levels
BS2 TomatoA pepper gene in tomato eases black spot and wilt.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
High Anthocyanin TomatoA transcription factor excites anthocyanin production in fruits
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
Longer shelf life too.
Acrylamide Free, non Browning Potatoes
XX
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Non Browning ApplesSilencing a gene that leads to discoloration
XX
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Small Business!X
Grapes resistant to Pierce’s Disease
XX
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
Virus Resistant Beans Embrapa, Brazil
Important Central American Crop
transgenic
Non-transgenic
From BASF website
Improved Oil Composition
One acre of omega-3 producing soybeans yields as much oil as 10,000 fish!
Stopping Citrus Greening
Spinach defensin
NPR1
Lytic peptides
Many show promise
Earliest deregulation is 2019
Edible Cotton Seeds!
Gossypol- free
Defense compound to protect seeds
Protein rich seeds could feed 500 M people
Transgenic cotton with suppressed gossypol synthesis
Edible Cotton Seeds!
Chestnut blight has destroyed the American Chestnut.
A single gene confers resistance to the disease.
Not food… so deregulation is an interesting question.
Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Canola, wheat, rice, corn, others
Water Use EfficiencyBetter yields during water deficit
XX
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
XX
Bacterial Wilt in Bananas
>70% of calories for some areas
GM trials in Uganda
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
Golden Bananas Beta carotene producing
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Plant Based Vaccines
Plants can be used to generate antibodies “Plantibodies”
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
Where to Learn More About the Pipeline?
www.isaaa.org
National Academies of Sciences
Academics Reviews
@kevinfolta
Illumination (blog)
Biofortified.org
Genetic Literacy Project.com
gmoanswers.com
Provide a Trail to Good Information
Academics Review : GMOLOL on Facebook : GMO Skeptiform (facebook)Illumination (my blog) :
Conclusions:
The pipeline started with farm-centric products
Few horticultural crops are commercialized due to cost and high barriers in deregulation.
The future products emphasize traits with direct consumer benefit
Emphasizing benefits for consumers, the environment, the developing world and the farmer helps to change hearts and minds.
Other countries will independently pursue the technology.
1996 Today Wide ApplicationSmart RegulationPublic Participation
Minor CropsConsumer Traits
Acceptance GapX years
Minor effectors:Continued safe implementationConsumer-centric traits
Major effectors:Decreasing credibility of vocal minorityRecognition as complementary / synergistic
with organic/sustainable
#1 EffectorCommunication via high-credibility channels
Less impact of “leaders”
Lost opportunities rise
Action StepStart a blog. Write weekly
Get a Twitter account. Post daily
Talk to one person a week that does not understand biotechnology
Contact your representatives and make your voice heard.
Know how to find the educators and reach out to them.
In Conclusion
Our mission is to develop genetics and production methods to generate more food on the same space with fewer inputs.
Learn the basics, or at least learn where to find the basics
When communicating these topics, remember, DON’T BE SUCH A SCIENTIST. Facts don’t matter. You need to be a trusted conduit first, before information can be persuasive.