We’ve received the questions Congress has on GM crops and can begin preparing for the presentation. As before, use their questions to guide your research and what you include in the presentation. Make sure to address both situations they described for each question. While conducting your research and putting things together here are some additional questions to keep in mind:
Ecological: Can GM crops and non-GM crops pollinate one another? If so, what characteristics would the next generation of plants have? Do plants naturally exchange genes with other plants? With other species? What effect can pest-resistant GM crops have on pests, both the pests they are designed to be resistant to as well as other pests?
Safety: How do scientists currently test GM crops to ensure they are safe for consumption? What is the precautionary principle and how does it relate to GM crops?
Trade: What happens to a GM crop if a genetic modification is scientifically possible but companies or the public aren’t receptive to the new crop? Do research for examples, and make sure to plan your focus group to include this type of information to use in your presentation.
As you conduct your research make sure to pay attention to how old the information is. You might find information on technologies or other topics that used to be part of the conversation but are no longer relevant due to more recent advances. One example is that of Terminator plants where genes were manipulated to prevent plants from reproducing. The technology was once considered and you might find information on it, but the approach was abandoned. Make sure the information you’re looking at is recent so you don’t cover topics that are now irrelevant.
I want you to do a focus group on GM crops similar to what you did on GM pets. Try to use different people for your focus group than last time to help you get a broader perspective on things. Right now I just want you to start recruiting people; I’ll have you conduct the focus group once you have your research organized.
As before, make sure to keep in mind the presentation as well as the debate, and how the information might be used in your final report. When you’re done with your initial research, please send me a status report as well as a rough outline of the information you want to include in the presentation.
