Iowa State University researchers and partners are conducting interviews “to build the first U.S.-based typology of proponent and critic priorities for developing public trust in gene editing in agriculture and food” according to a release. The results from this study have been published in the Agriculture and Human Values journal.
Gene editing tools have the potential to solve problems in agriculture. It has also faced some pushback due to safety and ethics of usage. This concern pushed the research team to conduct the study to help contribute “to public salience, comprehension, and decision-making as potential consumers reflect upon their experiences, envision future outcomes, and consider the reputation of those trying to influence them.”
The study’s findings showed that different groups’ priorities are not in line with each other and are based more on their own motivations for how the public is perceived to trust or distrust gene edited products.
Learn more: Agriculture and Human Values.
