Susanne Benner, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, former BASF Plant Science speaker, gave a keynote speak at the Comm4Biotech conference at the Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie de Strasbourg ESBS on the GM food & crop controversy. More information about the conference on http://www.comm4biotech.eu

1. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
The GM controversy: Eight theses
Comm4Biotech
18.11.2011, Susanne Benner

2. The GM
controversy:
The GM controversy: Eight theses Eight theses
1. After decades the perception of GM plants has not improved
2. The general belief that GM plants can be introduced using good
communications strategies is wrong
3. Public knowledge about GM technology is not the limiting factor for acceptance
4. Convincing pro GM arguments have been hard to find
5. The GM debate is strongly ritualized
6. GM plants are an object of projection for several other conflicts and views
7. Public debate in the areas of red and white biotech is over
8. Only GM plant perceived to be of public benefit will bring the controversy to an
end
-2-

3. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
1. Thesis:
After decades the perception of GM plants has
not improved
-3-

4. The GM
controversy:
Although more and more GM crops are grown… Eight theses
Source: ISAAA 2011
-4-

5. The GM
controversy:
…public opinion about GM foods is still sceptical Eight theses
Percentage agreement “GM food should be encouraged”
Source: Eurobarometer; Gaskell 2010
-5-

6. The GM
…although it varies significantly between EU controversy:
states Eight theses
Source: Eurobarometer; Gaskell 2010
-6-

7. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
2. Thesis:
The general belief that GM plants can be
introduced using good communication strategies
is wrong
-7-

8. The GM
Pro GM communication efforts did not yield controversy:
the expected results Eight theses
Research institutions, industry, associations, schools, and individuals have been
heavily engaged in communicating the benefits of GMOs.
Communication experts and PR agencies developed numerous strategies
Also the argument that it simply needs time and money is
wrong!
Benefit communication started in the mid 1990
• the German BioRegio program supported large
communication campaigns
• Millions of Euros were invested, e.g., in touring
biotech mobiles
©BMBF
Has everything been tried in the EU?
-8-

9. The GM
controversy:
Informative Websites Eight theses
-9-

10. The GM
controversy:
Exhibtions, games, videos, brochures, books… Eight theses
©BASF
- 10 -

11. The GM
controversy:
23 Hands-on biotech labs in Germany only! Eight theses
©BASF
©BASF
©BASF
- 11 -

12. The GM
controversy:
Showgardens and field visits Eight theses
©BASF
© Schaugarten Üplingen
©BASF
- 12 -

13. The GM
controversy:
Blogs Eight theses
- 13 -

14. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
3. Thesis:
Public knowledge about GM technology is not
the limiting factor for acceptance
- 14 -

15. The GM
Public knowledge about GM technology could be controversy:
improved… Eight theses
yes no
Source: Eurobarometer 2005
- 15 -

16. The GM
controversy:
…but is not the limiting factor Eight theses
• The relationship between knowledge and acceptance is not clear
• Fears, emotions are crucial to the acceptance
• The higher the objective knowledge is, the lower the proportion of
undecided consumers
Source: Tilman Becker https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/fileadmin/
einrichtungen/marktlehre/Forschung/Verbraucherverhalten/gentech.pdf 1999; Melanie Connor
http://www.plantsciences.ch/psc_events/Fachtagungen/presentations_2011/presentations_2011/connor, 2011
- 16 -

17. The GM
…because GM plants are perceived as a risk controversy:
that is personally not controllable Eight theses
“Please tell me to what extent or not you are worried about
the following issues”
Source: Special Eurobarometer on Food 2010
- 17 -

18. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
4. Thesis:
Convincing pro GM arguments have been
hard to find
- 18 -

19. The GM
Convincing arguments would improve the controversy:
Eight theses
acceptance of GM food…
Source: Eurobarometer 2005
- 19 -

20. The GM
…since concrete benefits lead to significantly controversy:
higher acceptance Eight theses
“Are you in favor or against Amflora cultivation in Germany
and its use in industrial applications?”
14%
Support 26%
37%
Undecided
43%
Undecided
49% Support
Against
31%
Against
General attitude towards GM Attitude towards Amflora cultivation
Source: Allensbach 2007
- 20 -

21. The GM
…but the same arguments are being used since controversy:
decades Eight theses
Support for GM food tending to
decline in several states
% respondents who agree or totally agree
that GM food should be encouraged
Source: Eurobarometer 2010
- 21 -

22. The GM
…and the arguments will not change in the near controversy:
future Eight theses
• There are only 2 products on the EU market: MON 810 and Amflora
• There are very few consumer products in the pipeline
• Breeding and GM focus is on yield  primarily farmer benefits
Source: BASF 2011
22

23. The GM
The market for consumer GM products is small in controversy:
comparison to GM crops delivering higher yields Eight theses
 Consumers can´t experience GM food
Source: BASF 2010
- 23 -

24. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
5. Thesis:
The GM debate is strongly ritualized
24

25. The GM
controversy:
Standard tool: panel discussions Eight theses
1997 2011
25

26. The GM
controversy:
The typical exchange of pros and cons Eight theses
…which often end
with the conclusion:
“Many arguments,
and many open
questions”.
26

27. The GM
Field testing  public anti GMO happening  controversy:
field destruction  media attention Eight theses
Irrespective of whether public
or private research, or safety or
coexistence studies, are
involved, there is a critical
© Jaques-boutault.fr
mass of people who are willing
to destroy everything
© FSL-Nancy.FR
© indymedia.org
27

28. The GM
controversy:
Pictures: They say more than words… Eight theses
©BASF
28

29. The GM
controversy:
…but also manifest biased opinions Eight theses
©dpa
29

30. The GM
controversy:
Search for “nanotechnology” Eight theses
30

31. The GM
controversy:
Search for “Gentechnik“ Eight theses
31

32. The GM
controversy:
Search for “Microsoft“ Eight theses
32

33. The GM
controversy:
Search for “Monsanto“ Eight theses
33

34. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
6. Thesis:
GM plants are an object of projection for several
other conflicts or views
34

35. The GM
Other conflicts or views have a negative impact on controversy:
Eight theses
the debate about GM plants
Organic versus
Undefined safety GMOs Anti-
concerns (coexistence) Globalization
movement
Scepticism GM plants
towards modern
agriculture Mistrust against
multinationals and
governments
Rich-poor
conflict
Touching the
“Back to nature” General integrity of
movement skepticism about Creation
the future
- 35 -

36. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
7. Thesis:
The public debate in the areas of red and white
biotech is over
- 36 -

37. The GM
controversy:
Consumer products make the difference Eight theses

Red (medical)
biotech
Drugs, e.g. Insulin Obvious benefits,
therefore public
acceptance
White (industrial)
biotech 
Enzyms, Vitamins, e.g. Chymosin
Benefits still not obvious,

Green biotech
therefore lacking public
(GMOs):
acceptance
Plants, e.g. Canola
- 37 -

38. The GM
controversy:
Red biotech Eight theses
• At least every second new drug is
produced with GMOs
• In Germany in 2010 198 drugs have
Red (medical) been approved which are produced
biotech with GMOs
• Germany„s biotech-related sector
employes 250.000 people
Source: DIB, 2010
- 38 -

39. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
8. Thesis:
Only GM products perceived to be of public
benefit will bring the controversy to an end
- 39 -

40. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
“Contrary to scientific and industry opinion, the
European public see GM food as not offering benefits,
as unsafe, as inequitable and as worrying.”
Eurobarometer 2010
- 40 -

41. The GM
There are very positive examples, controversy:
but they need to get to the market Eight theses
Allergic Omega 3´ Drought
protein free (EPA/DHA) tolerant corn
peanuts
© Mircosoft cliparts
© Mircosoft cliparts
© Mircosoft cliparts
Golden Rice Lycopene rich
Golden Rice tomatoes
© Mircosoft cliparts
© IRRI
- 41 -

42. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
9. Thesis which is not a thesis but a
recommendation:
Get involved into the discussions!
Do not leave the field to the unscientific!
It might become similar in your research area.
- 42 -

43. The GM
controversy:
Eight theses
Thanks to my current employer,
the Max Planck Society,
thanks to my former
communications team at
BASF Plant Science
and
thank you!
Disclaimer: This presentation reflects my personal opinion. It should not be taken to
represent the policy of BASF Plant Science nor of the Max Planck Society.
Susanne Benner, November 18, 2011.