scholarly journals Research into Genetically Modified Organisms in New Zealand: An Examination of a Sociotechnical Controversy

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sarah Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
The World ◽  
Future Risk

New Zealand is known around the world as a country that is clean, green and “100% Pure.” The existence of genetically modified organisms in New Zealand is generally viewed as inconsistent with this identity, and there is therefore considerable public controversy surrounding research that utilises genetic modification techniques. In this paper, I examine the variety of interacting factors that are serving to shape this controversy, the influence it is having on research practices, and the implications for future risk management policy.

scholarly journals Investigating Novice and Expert Conceptions of Genetically Modified Organisms

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. ar52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Potter ◽  
Sarah A. Bissonnette ◽  
Jonathan D. Knight ◽  
Kimberly D. Tanner
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Real World ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Molecular Behavior ◽  
Biology Majors

The aspiration of biology education is to give students tools to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to everyday life. Genetic modification is a real-world biological concept that relies on an in-depth understanding of the molecular behavior of DNA and proteins. This study investigated undergraduate biology students’ conceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) when probed with real-world, molecular and cellular, and essentialist cues, and how those conceptions compared across biology expertise. We developed a novel written assessment tool and administered it to 120 non–biology majors, 154 entering biology majors, 120 advanced biology majors (ABM), and nine biology faculty. Results indicated that undergraduate biology majors rarely included molecular and cellular rationales in their initial explanations of GMOs. Despite ABM demonstrating that they have much of the biology knowledge necessary to understand genetic modification, they did not appear to apply this knowledge to explaining GMOs. Further, this study showed that all undergraduate student populations exhibited evidence of essentialist thinking while explaining GMOs, regardless of their level of biology training. Finally, our results suggest an association between scientifically accurate ideas and the application of molecular and cellular rationales, as well as an association between misconceptions and essentialist rationales.

scholarly journals Current and planned research for managing the fruit fly threat to New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
David A.J. Teulon ◽  
John M. Kean ◽  
Karen F. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Fruit Flies ◽  
Bactrocera Tryoni ◽  
The World ◽  
Increasing Risk ◽  
Management Diagnostics ◽  
The Impact

Fruit flies (Family Tephritidae), in particular the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF), areone of the biggest biosecurity risks for New Zealand horticulture. New Zealand has one of the bestscience-based biosecurity systems in the world, based on years of experience and sound research. Theintroduction of fruit flies to New Zealand is now well managed in commercial fruit imports, but the riskis rising from growing trade and travel and, in the case of QFF, climatic adaptation and spread to moresouthern localities. Smarter solutions are continually needed to manage this increasing risk, and to dealwith such pests when they arrive. We present a brief summary of current and anticipated research aimedat reducing the likelihood of entry into New Zealand and/or minimising the impact for the fruit flyspecies of greatest threat to New Zealand. Research spans risk assessment, pathway risk management,diagnostics, surveillance and eradication.

Farmers prevailing perception profiles regarding GM crops: A classification proposal

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 952-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Almeida ◽  
Luisa Massarani
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Stakeholder Group ◽  
Gm Crops ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
Complex Variety

Genetically modified organisms have been at the centre of a major public controversy, involving different interests and actors. While much attention has been devoted to consumer views on genetically modified food, there have been few attempts to understand the perceptions of genetically modified technology among farmers. By investigating perceptions of genetically modified organisms among Brazilian farmers, we intend to contribute towards filling this gap and thereby add the views of this stakeholder group to the genetically modified debate. A comparative analysis of our data and data from other studies indicate there is a complex variety of views on genetically modified organisms among farmers. Despite this diversity, we found variations in such views occur within limited parameters, concerned principally with expectations or concrete experiences regarding the advantages of genetically modified crops, perceptions of risks associated with them, and ethical questions they raise. We then propose a classification of prevailing profiles to represent the spectrum of perceptions of genetically modified organisms among farmers.

scholarly journals Commercialisation of genetically modified crops in New Zealand

1999 ◽  
pp. 117-119
Author(s):  
M.J. Willocks
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Market Analysis ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Product Stewardship ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The Cost

Commercialisation of genetically modified organisms creates new challenges for marketers and developers of this technology. The cost of development is high, and the need to gain a return on investment that reflects this cost is critical to ensure that this technology is brought to New Zealand agriculture. A further challenge is that the regulatory requirements differ from those required for non-transgenic crops. Once introduced into the market, it is important to develop a product stewardship programme to ensure continued trait performance and prevent factors arising that will negate the value of these traits such as pest resistance. Keywords: genetically modified organisms, market analysis, product stewardship, regulatory process, return on investment

scholarly journals On Appeals to Nature and their Use in the Public Controversy over Genetically Modified Organisms

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-437
Author(s):  
Andrei Moldovan
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Argumentation Theory ◽  
Linguistic Meaning ◽  
Semantic Externalism ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
The Public

In this paper I discuss appeals to nature, a particular kind of argument that has received little attention in argumentation theory. After a quick review of the existing literature, I focus on the use of such arguments in the public controversy over the acceptabil-ity of genetically-modified organisms in the food industry. Those who reject this biotechnology invoke its unnatural character. Such arguments have re-ceived attention in bioethics, where they have been analyzed by distinguishing different meanings that “nature” and “natural” might have. I argue that in many such appeals to nature the main deficiency of these arguments is semantic, in particular, that these words cannot be assigned a determi-nate meaning at all. In doing so, I rely on semantic externalism, a widely accepted theory of linguistic meaning.

scholarly journals Risks and Precautions of Genetically Modified Organisms

ISRN Ecology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhan Prakash ◽  
Sonika Verma ◽  
Ranjana Bhatia ◽  
B. N. Tiwary
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Environmental Agreements ◽  
Precautionary Approach ◽  
Biotechnological Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
Controlled Environments ◽  
Potential Risks

Commercial potential of biotechnology is immense since the scope of its activity covers the entire spectrum of human life. The most potent biotechnological approach is the transfer of specifically constructed gene assemblies through various techniques. However, this deliberate modification and the resulting entities thereof have become the bone of contention all over the world. Benefits aside, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have always been considered a threat to environment and human health. In view of this, it has been considered necessary by biosafety regulations of individual countries to test the feasibility of GMOs in contained and controlled environments for any potential risks they may pose. This paper describes the various aspects of risk, its assessment, and management which are imperative in decision making regarding the safe use of GMOs. Efficient efforts are necessary for implementation of regulations. Importance of the risk assessment, management, and precautionary approach in environmental agreements and activism is also discussed.

scholarly journals Misinformation and disinformation in science: Examining the social diffusion of rumours about GMOs

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-340
Author(s):  
Sujia Jiang ◽  
Wei Fang
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Considerable Controversy ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Diffusion

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have caused considerable controversy in China in recent years. Uncertainty about the technology, ineffective channels for releasing official information and a lack of sufficient public trust in the government and scientists have led to rampant rumours about genetic modification technology, making it hard for the public to acquire scientific knowledge about it and a rational attitude towards it. In this paper, by using as an example the rumour that genetically modified (GM) soybeans cause cancer, we discuss the content and diffusion of rumours related to genetic modification technology in the new media environment. Based on an analysis of content on the social media platform Weibo one week after the rumour began, we discovered that the ensuing cyber discussions reflected reality, that netizens expressed anxiety and panic while stressing social injustice and reflecting conflict between social classes, and that they exhibited little trust in scientists and the government. On the mechanism of diffusion of rumours on Weibo, we observed that ‘evidence’ that directly or indirectly purported to show that GM soybeans cause cancer was added to the rumours and that the rumours were ‘assimilated’ into people's perception through the stigmatization of GMOs and through conspiracy theories.

A precautionary approach to genetic modification

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Lubbock ◽  
Andrew Coop
Keyword(s):  
Precautionary Principle ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Legal Regime ◽  
Precautionary Approach ◽  
The Precautionary Principle ◽  
Deliberate Release

Presents a study that discussed the development of a new legal regime for the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMO) into the European environment, as of January 2002. Information on the Precautionary Principle requirement of the existing regime; Assessment of the possible effect of the Precautionary Principle on decisions about GMO releases; Implications for the expectations of consumers regarding genetically modified products.

What Price Flexibility? – The Recent Commission Proposal to Allow for National “Opt-Outs” on GMO Cultivation under the Deliberate Release Directive and the Comitology Reform Post-Lisbon

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Weimer
Keyword(s):  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
European Policy ◽  
The World ◽  
Deliberate Release ◽  
Price Flexibility ◽  
Gmo Cultivation

“After a reform is before another reform.” This paraphrasing of a famous saying from the world of football seems to be a very fitting way to describe the status quo of the European policy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

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