This presentation was delivered to the American Farm Bureau National Conference in Nashville, TN. January 6, 2018. The talk covers the technology of gene editing (genome editing), its potential applications, and how farmers can communicate better about it to ensure faster use of the newest tools.

1. New Gene Editing
Technologies and Consumer
Acceptance
Kevin M. Folta
Professor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta kfolta@ufl.edu
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com

2. We are good at
creating technology.
Technology is slow to
reach the field.

3. -Jack Bobo

5. PROBLEM: Who to Trust?
People are seeking honest answers about
science, medicine, food and farming and
don’t know who to trust.

6. PROBLEM: Asymmetry
People with little information, or
maliciously false information are
telling our story.

7. When people don’t know what to
trust they:
•Err to the side of precaution
•Are prone to lifestyle-based choices
•Accept messaging that seems consistent with
their values
•Make mistakes
•Enact bad policy
•Adopt actions that have consequences for the
poor.

8. How this affects agriculture
•Regulatory hurdles slow seed and trait
development
•Restrictions on inputs
•Suspicion, loss of “social license”
•Loss of freedom to operate
•Lower farm profits
•Many others

9. Solution
Farm media, crop scientists
and agricultural producers
must take leadership in a
broader conversation.
Stop only talking to each other-
and find new ways to reach
non-traditional audiences.

10. Not so simple
Scientists and agricultural producers are
typically not trained to do this
They don’t necessarily want to do this
Make mistakes when they do this
Face push back when they do this

11. REALITY CHECK
We need innovations to reach the farm
faster.
We need farming to remain profitable
We need to maintain food security, and
the safest, most abundant food supply in
human history.

12. What is Gene Editing?What is Gene Editing?

13. Gene editing will revolutionize medicine and
agriculture, eventually.
There is a movement in place that opposes
the technology, and will continue to fight
the technology.
Fast and precise genetic changes of plants
and animals can be made in a short time.
We need to understand and actively
communicate what this technology is and
isn’t.

14. Technology is exploding, all over the world!

15. Technical Explosion – Development and Regulation
Sweden and The Netherlands do not see why these would
be regulated.
USDA appears to be in a similar situation- not “regulated
articles” (plants) Can supply “non-GMO” food demands
New Zealand, US Organic standards say these are “GMO”
China invested $4 Billion in this technology

16. Has been described as “the most insidious
form of a GMO”

17. A library contains massive amounts of
information, stored as individual books.
To change the information, you can add
new information by adding a new book.
You can remove information by removing
a book.

18. The DNA in a cell contains massive amounts
of information, stored as individual genes.
To change the information, you can add new
information by adding a new gene.
You can remove information by removing a
gene.

19. This is how we have to
think about standard
genetic engineering
techniques.
•Add Bt –insect resistance
•Add glyphosate tolerance
•Add glufosinate tolerance
•Add information to
suppress viruses

20. What is we went into the library and could
change the meaning of a book by erasing (or
adding) a few extra letters?

21. What if we could go into the DNA of a cell and
change the information in a gene by erasing
(or adding) a few letters?
.

24. The Gene Editing Revolution
CRISPR- Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats

25. Hardware
Cas9- Does the cutting
“guide RNA” – tells it where to cut

29. TALEN (TAL Effector Nuclease)
Removal of specific sequences to change the
function of a gene.
In use for years.

30. TALEN
Hardware
Something to do the cutting
Information to direct it to the right place to cut

31. TALEN
Product pipeline
Does not appear to be subject to overbearing,
expensive regulation.

32. Applications

33. Gene Editing
Alison Van Eenennaam 7:15-8:30

34. Health Implications

35. PPO Suppression- Anything New?
Bruce’s Sport
1962 ‘Sultana’ grape

36. Non Browning Apples
Silencing a gene that leads to discoloration

39. Suppression of Powdery Mildews in Wheat
Gene
Gene
X
Barley
Gets Powdery Mildew
Resistant!
Gene
X Same Mutation Created -- Resistant!
Gene Gets Powdery Mildew
Wheat

40. Stopping Citrus Greening

42. How do we communicate concepts in
gene editing?

43. Consumers are seeking information
Are there
residues in my
food?
Where do the
ingredients
come from?
Is it nutritious?
Will my family
like it?
Do I trust the
company?
Is this a good
value?
Are herbicides
harming the
environment?
What are these
long words on
the label?
Is this one of
those GMO
things?
Is it full of the
glutens?
What dose Dr.
Oz think?

44. Scientists, industry
professionals, agricultural
producers, etc.
Make some critical
mistakes in engaging
How we process
information
System 1 – Emotional,
irrational, reactive
System 2 – Logical,
strategic, calculating
Medical
information
Food, shelter

45. What are our mutual concerns?
Economically sustainable farming
Higher quality, less waste
in industrialized world
More nutrition, availability
in Developing World
Environmental
sustainabilty

46. Facts do not matter
without trust.
“I've learned that people will
forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but
people will never forget how
you made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou

47. CONTENT AMPLIFICATION
Write something
and share with
1000 people
Share something
you like with
1000 people

49. MANY OTHERS

50. The Power of Amplification via Networks

51. We Go Forward Together
New technology is developed faster
than it can be deployed
Gene Editing (CRISPR- TALEN etc)
will revolutionize medicine and
agriculture
The technologies allow precise
changes to DNA, allowing new
traits to be created
Opposition is mounting in USA
and EU
Free use of this technology will require
strong communications efforts-
including by ag producers Share the science, talk about
how it satisfies shared values
Exploit the powerful potential of
social media and internet space

52. kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta
kfolta@ufl.edu
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM
Thank you.
All funding, reimbursement:
www.kevinfolta.com/transparency
All slides:
www.slideshare.net/kevinfolta

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