b'Why Is It So Difficult toCommunicate Biotechnology?BESIDES SCIENCE,we all know that agricultureI think that most seedsmen consider themselves involves culture. We cultivate to the natural envi- steward rather than ruler. We realize that biology and ronment. Farming is not nature; we learn from natureecology are very complex and that we havent grasped and use that knowledge to produce the goods that weall their secrets yet. The world view of the organic need. Farmers plant 160,000 bean plants on a hectare.sector on the other hand, or at least a major part of it, In nature, this would never happen. Nature would makeis rather that humankind is the partner, which means sure that seeds are shed and spread widely. that for them the concepts of intrinsic value and integ-It appears that people do not have this concept inrity are real. I was explained recently that invading NIELS LOUWAARS mind when they speak about certain breeding methodsthe cell or the genome challenges the intrinsic value is the managingas unnatural. In debates I often follow the same logicof the organism. That is the main reason why for such director at Plantum.as with agriculture: breeders also learn from natureindividuals, gene editing is not acceptable, and not This article does notand use that knowledge to produce better varieties foreven conventional mutation breeding. Even when the necessarily reflect thefarmers, processors and consumers. Rational discus- products of such interventions result in precise copies views of all Plantumsions can focus on risks and hazards, notably in rela- of natural mutations, they consider it wrong that people members. tion to human health and the environment. It becomeswillfully enter the cell to manipulate it. The actor counts, more complex when socio-economic arguments enternot the outcome. the debate, such as the role of technology in relation to mergers and concentration trends in the seed indus-try. But it becomes really problematic when ethics, and particular words like natural, intrinsic value andIt becomes really problematic when ethics, and integrity of the genome are thrown into the debate.particular words like natural, intrinsic value A common result is that we lose track of the line of thinking and either start to speak louder and louder inand integrity of the genome are thrown into our (natural) scientific right or fall silent because we arethe debate. totally lost. Neither reaction is likely to be productive.I recently came across a line of thought that helped me understand where such remarks may come from. In our relationship with nature, every person has particular personal starting points. We can consider ourselvesHow to discuss gene editing policies with such ruler, steward, partner, or participant. The ruler canindividuals? Rational arguments about safety and legal use nature for its needs, irrespective of the impact onarguments about interpretation of words are irrelevant nature. The steward has no problem using naturalin such discussions. Even if we dont share such views, resources, but at the same time feels a responsibil- we may have to respect them. We can stress though ity towards this use, which is commonly translated inthat such ethical principles are highly personal and we terms of avoiding exhausting the natural environmentcould expect respect for the steward-views as well. so that also the next generations can benefit. This isThe result should then be that the organic sector is a more common approach in our age of sustainablewelcome to avoid such techniques because of such development. The partner, however, goes beyond thisworldviews, but these should in return not vote against practical approach in that exhaustion is avoided for thetheir use by the conventional sector that may hold dif-sake of nature itself. Finally, the participant cannotferent views. It also means that we should be willing to really use nature as he is just an intrinsic part of it. Theseinform breeders for the organic sector about our varie-are very personal perceptions that shape our thinkingties when they ask so that they may avoid using them about many things, including agriculture and breeding.in further breeding. Companies do that already with They cannot easily be rationalized. regard to CMS in the absence of regulation.SW60/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2020'