Genetic Engineering and Society Center

Integrating scientific knowledge & diverse public values in shaping the futures of biotechnology

Next Colloquium: Tuesday, 2/15, 12 PM ET via Zoom

Technology, Ag. Intensification, and the Future of Agriculture

George Kennedy, Wm. Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Agriculture, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, NC State University

Website

Abstract

Technological advances have driven agricultural productivity and defined agricultural production systems. Addressing the challenges to global agricultural in the coming decades relating to population growth and climate change, while minimizing negative environmental and health impacts and social disruption will necessitate major changes in agricultural production systems and agroecosystem structure. Sustainable production systems must rest on deep knowledge of crops and pest/disease biology and ecology. And they must be compatible with farmers’ objectives and those of the institutions that influence what farmers do. This presentation will explore these concepts and their implications relating to the intensification of agricultural production and the future of agriculture.

Full details and speaker bio at https://research.ncsu.edu/ges/event/ges-colloquium-2022-02-15/

See upcoming colloquia at https://go.ncsu.edu/ges-colloquium

Announcements

• Freshwater Mussel Conservation Genetics Graduate Research Assistant (M.S. or Ph.D.), NC State Dept. of Applied Ecology

News

NC State receives USDA/NIFA grant to evaluate societal impacts and foster sustainability of GE and nanotech in agriculture

2/10/2022 - Patti Mulligan, GES Center

Khara Grieger, together with GES Co-director Jennifer Kuzma, will lead a $650,000 project that will support the responsible development of novel agrifood technologies to contribute to more sustainable food and ag systems.

What is stopping gene-edited food from saving our planet?

2/10/2022 - Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering

Adding to Barrangou's sentiment, Jennifer Kuzma, the Goodnight-NC GSK Foundation Distinguished Professor in the Social Sciences and co-director of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center at NC State, tells IE that a gene-edited crop that works in the lab or greenhouse needn't work in the field. "Another challenge is that farmers may not want to buy that particular gene-edited seed if it may not deliver enough benefits directly to them. Crops to mitigate climate change may not fit into their economic models," she says.

Anti-GMO stances ‘insult smallholder farmers’ in Africa and Asia

2/3/2022 - Joseph Opoku Gakpo, Alliance for Science

Nassib Mugwanya, a former agricultural extension agent in Uganda who is now a doctoral candidate in agriculture and extension education at North Carolina State University, agreed. “GM crops in Uganda are rooted in the contextual realities of the challenges facing agriculture and smallholder farmers,” he observed. “And if anything, I think GM crops complement indigenous knowledge and agricultural solutions. They help smallholder farmers — especially women — spend less time in the fields as they grow more nutritious crops for the households and communities.”

Understanding the New Bioengineered Disclosure

2/1/2022 - Greg Jaffe, CSPI
Starting January 1, 2022, USDA regulations specify how foods sold in the United States that are bioengineered or contain bioengineered ingredients must disclose that information to consumers. In this blog, I break down the history and major components of this new requirement.

Articulating ethical principles guiding Target Malaria's engagement strategy

GeneConvene - Gene Drive & Genetic Biocontrol Newsletter

Events

• Presentation by Dr. Jason Delborne

• AgBioFEWS Fellow Modesta Abugu will be moderating this panel discussion.

• Sign up for their newsletter to receive information on when you can submit an abstract and register for the conference. 

• See the Call for Participation and Submit your Ideas by February 15, 2022.

New Publications

Eliciting stakeholder perceptions using a novel online engagement platform: A case study on nano-agrifoods

Stakeholder engagement to inform the risk assessment and governance of gene drive technology to manage spotted-wing drosophila

Deficits of Public Deliberation in U.S. Oversight for Gene Edited Organisms

The Decision Phases Framework for Public Engagement: Engaging Stakeholders about Gene Editing in the Wild

Genome evolution in an agricultural pest following adoption of transgenic crops