This document discusses effective communication of agricultural science. It notes that universities are good at generating agricultural innovations but must ensure equal access to those innovations through communication. The problem is that marketing fear and pseudoscience can undermine support for science-based agriculture. Scientists need to speak up more effectively to share the priorities of farmers, consumers, the environment and those in need. Many agricultural innovations could help those groups but opposition has stalled some, like golden rice. The document encourages sharing stories and experiences about agriculture through blogging, social media, speaking and starting science cafes to improve communication about innovations in agriculture.

1. Effectively Communicating
Agricultural Science
Kevin M. Folta
Professor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta
kevinfolta@gmail.com
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com

5. Universities are great at generating
agricultural innovation.
We are good at delivering information.

6. Universities are great at generating
agricultural innovation.
We are good at delivering information.
How do we ensure equal access to
agricultural innovations?

7. Universities are great at generating
agricultural innovation.
We are good at delivering information.
How do we ensure equal access to
agricultural innovations?
Must come from effective
communication.

8. Why do we have a problem?

9. Why do we have a problem?

10. Marketing fear?Marketing fear?
Big profits can made from
science-free separations

11. Pseudoscience CreepPseudoscience Creep

12. Scientists don’t know how to speak up.Scientists don’t know how to speak up.
Scientists are afraid to speak up.Scientists are afraid to speak up.

13. F
Relativenumberinpopulation
Nonexperts
Farmers,
scientists,
Etc.
MOST PEOPLE!!!!
FEAR FACTS
Favorable views of technology

14. LOGOS PATHOS
ETHOS

15. State your larger priorities up front
Farmers
The Needy
Environment
Consumers

16. Why It Matters. We need to ensure
equal access to agricultural
innovation.
Solutions exist, that we don’t use.

17. 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

18. 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

19. Golden Bananas Beta carotene producing
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

20. Bacterial Wilt in Bananas
>70% of carbohydrate calories for
some areas
GM trials in Uganda
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X

21. Hypoallergenic Peanuts
Peanut – RNAi suppression Ara h2
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

22. GE chickens do not pass on Avian Influenza
Episode 007
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
X
X Animal welfare

23. AquaBounty Salmon – attains market weight in less time.
Salmon may be farmed on inland pools, generating high protein food
on fewer inputs.
Episode 008
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
X
X Wild populations
First Approved GE Animal !!

24. Thanks Alison Van Eenennaam for the slide!
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X

25. Low Acrylamide, non Browning Potatoes
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

26. Non Browning Apples
Silencing a gene that leads to discoloration
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Small Business!X

27. BS2 Tomato
A pepper gene in tomato eases bacterial wilt.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

29. Grapes resistant to Pierce’s Disease
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X

31. X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
Fungicide-Free Strawberries?
Silva et al., 2015

32. Stopping Citrus Greening
Spinach defensin
NPR1
Lytic peptides
Many show promise
Earliest deregulation is
2019
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X

33. Your job--
Communication about agriculture.
Share your stories, your journey, your experience.
Share your passions.
Share the innovations that inspire you.

34. Your job--
Start a blog.
Amplify positive messages in social media.
Write. The internet is hungry for content.
Start a science café. They will come.
Speak.

35. Innovation
moves to
application with
communication.

36. kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta
kfolta@ufl.edu
"There is a path to truth and
sincerity that you must guard
and defend“
-- Teruyuki Okazaki
“It is our mission to
stand up for the truth
that science gives us.”
Dr. Jack Payne
Follow FOIA developments using #Science14
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM

37. “Don’t tell me it can’t be done,
tell me what needs to be done
and help me do it.”