The science of agricultural biotechnology is a proxy battleground for many people with political or cultural objections to GMOs, much in the way climate science is a proxy for those who associate it with implied political and economic changes they view as a threat to their way of life. For example, activists and advocacy groups vehemently opposed to GMOs continue to emphasize food safety concerns that have no evidentiary basis.
Which brings me to a workshop held last week at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C. Its focus is on how to communicate about GMOs to the public.
To me, the real battle for hearts and minds, the real target audience is the fence straddler, the person who is noncommittal about GMOs. My own experiences with friends and family who reject GMOs has opened my eyes to the communication challenges for the broader public discourse.
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Read full, original article: The Tricky Terrain for GMO Communication
