Kevin Folta's Biotalknowledgey Presentation at NC State 4/22/2015

Bio-Talk-Nowledge-y

Communicating the Science of Science Communication

Kevin M. Folta

Professor and Chair

Horticultural Sciences Department

kfolta.blogspot.com

@kevinfolta

[email protected]

"There is a path to truth and sincerity that you must

guard and defend“

-- Teruyuki Okazaki

Structure:

9:00 Introductions, justification, nuts and bolts on how

biotech crops work

9:45 Why is there a problem? Mythbusting.

10:30 Break

3:45 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 the first step.

Take home messages:

Agricultural biotechnology is a precise extension of plant genetic improvement, a human-mediated effort performed over 10,000+ years.

There is an industry profiting form manufactured risk around good technology.

The main audience is not the activist– it is the concerned person that doesn’t understand. Be a teacher.

To change hearts and minds, focus on future traits and how biotechnology can support our common values.

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

Incre

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Nuts and Bolts of Frankenfoods

Kevin M. Folta

Associate Professor and Chair


kfolta.blogspot.com

@kevinfolta

[email protected]

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 nine commercial

crops

“It’s not natural”

The first step is to diffuse an appeal to nature, that is, the notion that nature is superior to human technology and that human meddling is dangerous.

All due to mutations and genomic

alterations

All required human intervention for

breeding and/or selection

GM Adoption-- Farmers are trusted. The most rapidly-adopted farm technology.

Keeping it Simple -- a big part of communicating the science is removing the mystery

Three basic traits commercialized.

Virus Resistance

Insect Resistance

Herbicide Resistance

Only 8 GM Crops Available Now

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.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens

A plant pathogen that injects its DNA into the plant

upon infection. This allows the bacterium to create

an environment where it can best survive.

Agrobacterium species occur naturally and are

responsible for causing “galls” in infected plants.

Scientists have exploited this

property of the organism to perform

gene 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 CAmino

acidsproteins

epsps

glyphosate

XPlants


A B CAmino

acidsproteins

epsps

glyphosate

X

A B CAmino

acidsproteins

epsps

Plants

Bacteria

glyphosate


A B CAmino

acidsproteins

epsps

epsps

Plants

X

glyphosate

A B CAmino

acidsproteins

Bacteria

glyphosate


A B CAmino

acidsproteins

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.

The Anti-Biotech Movement and

Mythbusting

Kevin M. Folta

Professor and Chair


kfolta.blogspot.com

@kevinfolta

[email protected]

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

Much based in a handful of anti-corporate activists

Manufacturing Risk

True or False?

“Terminator” Seeds

True or False?

Kathage and Qian 2012

True or False?

What the Report Really Said:

You could detect glyphosate at a few ng / m3

Glyphosate replaced other herbicides

The use of GM cotton has reduced insecticide use, massively

Relative number of Starbucks

Organic food sales

Manufacturing the Perception of Riskconfusing correlation and causality

The risk around this topic is based on misinformation

One-off studies

Poor quality science

Good science that is misinterpreted

Making mundane facts inflamatory

Part 3 – How to Talk About How to

Talk About Science

Kevin M. Folta

Professor and Chairman


kfolta.blogspot.com

@kevinfolta

[email protected]

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 n

um

ber

in

po

pu

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on

Relative scientific understanding

Activists

Farmers,scientists,

Etc.

MOST PEOPLE!!!!

Based on findings from UF PIE Center

1996 Today Wide Application

Smart Regulation

Public Participation

Minor Crops

Consumer Traits

Acceptance Gap

X years

Minor effectors:

Continued safe implementation

Consumer-centric traits

Major effectors:

Decreasing credibility of vocal minority

Recognition as complementary / synergistic

with organic/sustainable

#1 Effector

Communication 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

Incre

asin

g d

ifficu

lty

Reinforce the 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 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- Who do you work for? Who is your client?

2. “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 Capital

Consequences and Lost Opportunities

Opposition to this technology has significant costs.

The needy

The environment

Farmers

Consumers

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 fertilizers

Insect resistance

Disease resistance

GMO 2.0

Kevin M. Folta

Associate Professor and Chair


kfolta.blogspot.com

@kevinfolta

[email protected]

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 fertilizers

Insect resistance

Disease 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

Golden Bananas Beta carotene producing

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

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Non Browning ApplesSilencing a gene that leads to discoloration

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Small Business!X

Grapes resistant to Pierce’s Disease

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

X

Virus Resistant Beans

Embrapa, Brazil

Important Central American Crop

transgenic

Non-transgenic

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.

Water Use EfficiencyBetter yields during water deficit

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

X

X

Bacterial Wilt in Bananas

>70% of calories for some areas

GM trials in Uganda

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

X

Where to Learn More

About the Pipeline?

www.isaaa.org

National Academies of Sciences

Academics Reviews

[email protected]

@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.

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.

Remember is that people are concerned. You need to be a

teacher, be compassionate and connect around shared

values.

Kevin Folta's Biotalknowledgey Presentation at NC State 4/22/2015

Science

Transcript of Kevin Folta's Biotalknowledgey Presentation at NC State 4/22/2015