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Introduction
Biotechnological innovation in agriculture has a long
history starting centuries ago when farmers used crossbreeding to
transfer desirable genes from one plant to another (Yaukey, 2000).
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have been
modified using recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) techniques. In
plants, for example, appropriate genetic material is extracted from
plants exhibiting desirable characteristics and inserted into the nuclei
of other plants. Although there are different methods for accomplishing
this task, the result is the creation of new "transgenic" plants with
desired characteristics or traits (Fernandez-Cornejo, et al., 1999;
Manning, 2000). Desired characteristics or traits may include insect
resistance, herbicide resistance, salt tolerance, and cold tolerance,
among others (Blaine, 2000; Manning, 2000; Yaukey, 2000).
The creation of genetically modified
plants through genetic engineering and many other applications of
biotechnological innovations in agriculture has already changed
agriculture in many ways. These innovations will change the structure
and organization of agriculture, thereby altering the relationships
between the input and output sectors of the economy (Hurt, 1994).
Biotechnology in agriculture has always generated controversy, but the
use of modified crops in consumer products promises to have more far
reaching implications (Drabenstott, 1994; Ekanem, 2001; Nelson, et al.,
1999).
References
Blaine, Katija. 2000. CFIA Fact Sheet -
Triple Herbicide Tolerant Canola.
http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca.
June 23.
Drabenstott, Mark. 1994. "Industrialization:
Steady Current or Tidal Wave?". Choices (Fourth Quarter):4-8.
Drabenstott, Mark. 2000. "A New Structure
for Agriculture: A Revolution for Rural America". Journal of
Agribusiness, Special Issue 18(1):61-70.
Ekanem, E., F. Tegegne, S. Singh, Safdar
Muhammad, and Mary Mafuyai-Ekanem. 2001. "Economic Risks of
Genetically Engineered Foods in International Trade".
http://agecon.tamu.edu/iama/symposium2001/Papers/Area%20IV/Ekanem_Enefiok.pdf.
Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, Margriet Caswell,
and Cassandra Koltz-Ingram. 1999. "Seeds of Change: From Hybrids to
Genetically Modified Crops". Choices (Fourth Quarter):18-22.
Hurt, Chris. 1994. "Industrialization in the
Pork Industry". Choices (Fourth Quarter):9-13.
Manning, Anita. 1994. It's Hard to Avoid
Modified Foods. USA Today (Wednesday, June 7):6D.
Nelson, Gerald C., Timothy Josling, David
Bullock, Laurian Unnevehr, Mark Rosegrant, and Lowell Hill. 1999. "The
Economics and Politics of Genetically Modified Organisms in Agriculture:
Implications for WTO 2000". Bulletin 809 (November). Champaign,
Illinois: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/wf/gmo/gmo.pdf. June 7.
Yaukey, John. 2000. Public Good is Driving
Both Sides of Genetic Debate. USA Today (Wednesday, June 7):6D.Choices
(Fourth Quarter):18-22.
Project Summary
The goal of this multi-state, multi-institution, and multi-discipline
project is to use focus group meetings and mail questionnaire surveys to
gather information on the attitudes of U.S. consumers and producers
toward GMOs in the food system. This one-year
'Bridge Grant' from the USDA's Initiative for Future Agriculture and
Food Systems (IFAFS) Program during FY 2002 will assist Tennessee State
University in building a strong collaborative network with three other
universities and with private organizations for the purpose of revising
and resubmitting a proposal seeking funds for the above-mentioned
research. The grant will be used to develop and strengthen the survey
methodology to be used in collecting data for the proposed study.
Networks among university research, extension, non-government
organizations, private organizations, and other identifiable
stakeholders will be strengthened by this grant. The grant will
coordinate the information obtained from this project for use in
developing and strengthening networks for disseminating study findings.
The project will explore the possibilities of using community forums,
radio messages, teleconferences, and web-based strategies for the
dissemination of findings to a wide audience. Educational plans
including distance education, web training, and instruction will be
developed from this project.
Project Objectives
Assist
Tennessee State University in developing and strengthening a survey to
be used in collecting data for proposed project, through use of focus
groups in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
Develop/strengthen
networks and strategies to be used in disseminating findings from
proposed research through community forums, radio messages,
teleconferences, and web-based dissemination.
Contacts
For
further information about this Bridge Grant project, please contact:
Dr. Enefiok Ekanem
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research
Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
Voice: 615.963.5823
Fax: 615.963.1557
E-mail: eekanem@tnstate.edu
Dr. Eric J. Wailes
217 Agriculture Building
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Voice: 501.575.2278
Fax: 501.575.5306
E-mail: ewailes@comp.uark.edu
Mary Mafuyai
Small Farms Management Specialist
Cooperative Extension
North Carolina A&T State University
P.O. Box 21928
Greensboro, North Carolina 27420-1928
Voice: 336.334.7956 ext. 2102
Fax: 336.334.7432
E-mail: mafuyai@ncat.edu
Professor Dennis O. Balogu
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
1200 N. University Drive
P.O. Box 4913
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71611
Voice: 870.575.8154 or 8118
Fax: 870.543.8035
E-mail: balogu_d@vx4500.uapb.edu |
