To create high-paying jobs in Connecticut, economic development professionals often remind us that the future belongs to places that value education and knowledge creation.
We haven’t wasted time debating pseudo-science or whether topics like evolution should be taught in schools. Instead, we courageously embraced issues like regenerative medicine and stem cell research. In the process, we’ve drawn cutting-edge science, rooted new companies and built bright career pathways here in Connecticut.
Until now.
This month, the General Assembly debated a proposed law that would ban an idea. The idea in question is to use what we’ve learned about the plant genome to do more quickly and with greater safety what farmers have done for thousands of years: breed a better plant. But rather than encouraging knowledge creation and innovation, of seeing where the science takes us, some legislators wanted to quash the research by banning a product that is only under development. The Connecticut Senate approved the bill, but luckily reason prevailed in the House, where it was defeated.
We’ve worked hard to change the perception that Connecticut is unfriendly to business. We certainly don’t want to send the message that the employers of the future are unwelcome in Connecticut by broadcasting to all our competitor states and countries that Connecticut is unfriendly to science.
Read the full, original article: GMO Seed Opposition Is Anti-Science
