38 / SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2017 Partner with ProHarvest Seeds, Inc. to operate your own corn and soybean company as a Regional Owner Partner with ProHarvest Seeds, Inc. to operate your own corn and soybean company as a Regional Owner Contact us today at 866-807-7015 ProHarvest Seeds, Ashkum, IL 60911 www.proharvestseeds.com Our unique system provides you with: · Access to multiple sources of genetics and traits · Freedom to develop your own sales programs and pricing · Support in areas of agronomy, sales, and business practices · Seed products tailored to your own market area · Potential territory exclusivity · Opportunity to create value in your own seed business MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS of Americans would accept release of genetically modified mosquitoes to decrease risk of the Zika virus, but fewer than half accept genetic modification (GM) of animals, grain crops and produce, according to a Purdue University study. Ag economists Nicole Olynk Widmar and Wally Tyner led the study to under- stand attitudes toward genetic engineering in the wake of last year’s heightened coverage of the Zika virus. The results suggest people are far more accepting of genetic modifications that benefit human health but are still somewhat wary of modifications to food. “Whenever you have a newly per- ceived health risk, there are calls for tech- nology to solve the problem. If you think about the Ebola virus, everybody said, ‘Where’s an Ebola vaccine?’ They wanted technology to mitigate the risk,” Widmar says. “Food is an everyday choice. In some ways, I can understand why people may be more cautious about what they’re ingesting on an ongoing basis.” Data also show that acceptance of genetic modification may be related to sex, education, income and awareness of GM technology. Zika, a virus spread primarily through mosquito bites, can cause severe birth defects including microcephaly and fetal brain defects. The virus was espe- cially prevalent in Brazil during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and mosquito carriers have been reported in parts of Florida and Texas. Mechanisms developed to control the virus include the release of GM mosquitoes that will breed with females to produce eggs that won’t hatch or offspring that die before reaching sexual maturity. Widmar and Tyner wanted to assess public opinion of the technologies and understand what drives acceptance of some genetic modifi- cations but not others. Findings are based on 964 Americans surveyed with a goal of selecting respond- ents that matched 2014 census estimates for age, gender, income, education and region of residence. The margin of error was about 3 percent, and results were published in the journal “PLoS One.” GM TECHNOLOGY: Healthcare vs. Food A new study by Purdue University might help shed light on the public’s perception of GM technology. Brian Wallheimer @Wally3298