The following is an edited excerpt.
GE crops have been in American fields and grocery stores for more than a decade, but the controversy surrounding them is as fresh as ever. One Cornell University scientist says that in the discussion about GMOs, emphasizing the scientific facts is key — but she also cautioned against arrogance on the part of genetic engineering advocates.
“Food is very intimate to people, and dismissing their concerns is not a wise strategy,” plant scientist Margaret Smith said at an Inside Cornell event with reporters in New York in Friday.
As with any new technology, in GMO research there are unknowns to be studied, and potential risks to be evaluated. But with GMOs, that evaluation takes place in the midst of an extremely polarized public debate.
Read the full story here: GE misconceptions, risks, and rewards, one Cornell scientist’s take
