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Anti-GMO-Fueled Threats Force Reallocation Of Biotech Education Funds

Avatar for Paul Rusnak Posted by Paul Rusnak|August 27, 2015

University of Florida officials say plans are to re-allocate a donation intended to improve the public’s understanding of science after threats of violence were made to a researcher. The Monsanto Co. donated $25,000 to support the “Talking Biotech” program, a science communication effort that provided on-campus workshops to train scientists about how to engage the public on agricultural biotechnology.

Kevin Folta

Kevin Folta

The program is run by Kevin Folta, professor and chairman of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, and a recognized leader in bringing science to the public. Since Monsanto’s donation to the program became widely visible in a recent article in the journal Nature, Folta has experienced damaging allegations and received comments that could be construed as threats.

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“I’m teaching a science that opponents of ag biotech (GMO) do not want taught,” Folta said. “Everything I teach comes from a scientific consensus and support of the literature, and sometimes it does not mesh with the beliefs promoted by TV doctors, activists advocating a single perspective, and those who profit from manufacturing food fear.”

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Folta maintains has no relationship with Monsanto in research or teaching. The funds allowed UF to administer the costs associated with the outreach program accrued when Folta volunteers his time to promote science communication across the nation.

The decision to reallocate the funds came when his home address and other personal information appeared among comments on Facebook. Inflammatory posts also appeared on Craigslist, presumably with the intent to incite local violent action.

“This has taught me that this is not about what is true, it is how it is perceived, and to many a donation automatically means the company has some influence on my work when there was not,” Folta said. “The discussion has gone to an extreme level that is frightening.”

Folta does not know the future of the program as some of the donation has already been spent on outreach. He says he’ll fill in those costs personally, and UF/IFAS also has offered to assist covering costs.

♦ Folta Fires Back In The Gainesville Sun ♦

The university will reallocate the funds to the campus food pantry.

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Paul Rusnak is the Senior Online Editor of American Vegetable Grower, American Fruit Grower, and Greenhouse Grower magazines, all Meister Media Worldwide brands. He is based in Northeast Florida. See all author stories here.

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Avatar for Matt Matt says:
August 28, 2015 at 4:03 am

Another article that tries to equate biotechnology with GMO. It appears the professor has already earned a bias. Monsanto does not donate to professors who work on organic production improvements

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Avatar for Dahlimama Dahlimama says:
August 28, 2015 at 7:43 am

How very sad indeed. this is a technology that if people would try to understand instead of letting those with flat earth mentality’s form an opinion for them, would be a great boon to society. Add the element of terrorism to the whole thing and the thugs win ans society loses! I am so sorry Kevin, I apologize for those ignorant and and willing to threaten a teachers life over a new technology.

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Avatar for Damian Damian says:
September 5, 2015 at 9:30 pm

I’m afraid that, as long as the “organic” cult continues to convince people that “organic” food is safer than any other, the GMO scientists will always have a battle on their hands. I see the ridiculous publications these cultists have laying around their homes full of claims that are pure nonsense. They can’t be convinced of anything else because they don’t understand the language of real science. They have a language of their own that shuts out any discussion based on science. It’s based on a simple belief system that requires very little knowledge and irrational fear.

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Avatar for frank frank says:
September 1, 2015 at 9:30 am

the underlying issue is education, Monsanto is known as the big bad Wolf, GMO’s are misunderstood, labeling food’s would be a step in the right path. After all the Internet has opened up many avenues educating as many people assumed was healthy food turned out to be bad, case in point cereals many types of them when crushed into a powder then magnet waved over the crushed cereal 1000’s of small dark specks adhere magnetically to magnet. Food has become important subject as more & more are awaken by bad news. In today’s world there is a rush on behalf of most corporations for profit and testing or time is not in profitable factor.I personally feel GMO’s have a place as even good source for fuel as we learn over time if it is safe enough for people. The present state of food such as vegetables need to be worked on, as if the food value has diminished since the 70’s. A test was done in Germany with pea’s, they took some stored in deep freeze from 1978 & deep froze 2014 Pea’s for a yr, defrosted both & compared both, only to discover food value was half. We need to work on how we can retain original food value of vegetables maybe GMO can help, honestly why I grow Organic;s have noticed some of the plants just don’t grow as good as they did 10 yrs ago. or even worse compared to 30 yrs ago. It seems the genetics are declining, is it because too many copies of copies has been made? What will happen in 100 years & we have 10 billion people to feed. I’ve also noticed the Sun is different in Florida it’s intensity is stronger now, blinding strong, in SW Florida the Slash Pines are dying! Could it be Chemtrails?

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Avatar for Ralph Ralph says:
September 3, 2015 at 7:55 am

You are a good example of idiots on this planet that blame everything on pesticides and science. Answer me these two questions: How many people on this planet die each year from starvation? How many people have died from GMO’s?

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Avatar for Damian Damian says:
September 5, 2015 at 9:11 pm

Food sticks to magnets now? Even oxygen is paramagnetic, that is, slightly magnetic. Why scare people who know nothing about science with these nutball “facts”. Maybe these people really did burn their brains out with cell phones.

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Avatar for rebeccarabinowitz59 rebeccarabinowitz59 says:
September 1, 2015 at 11:08 am

I am saddened in regard that a scientist such as Dr. Folta would be personally threatened. Although I do not totally agree with his mindset, I do respect him as an educator and researcher. We must all reach out of our comfort zone to find the answers to feeding the world in the now and the future.

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Avatar for Dave Rosenberger Dave Rosenberger says:
September 5, 2015 at 1:48 pm

GMO-haters are apparently posing a far greater risk to society that GMOs ever will. When folks are so anti-social that they not only refuse to learn about anything they disagree with, but also attempt to prevent others from learning, then everyone loses. When the uneducated who refuse to learn choose violence and anarchy as their method for imposing their own viewpoints, then all of society is at risk. It appears that GMO-haters have much the same human values as ISIS and other terrorist groups that are causing havoc in other regions of the world. How sad!

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Avatar for felipemanzana felipemanzana says:
November 4, 2015 at 11:11 am

Nice to see your comment. I play along with all this but soon will be finished. Philip Russak of High Falls.

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Avatar for Kevin O. Kevin O. says:
September 7, 2015 at 6:19 am

Threats or violence is not the way of God, That is why there are so many problems in our world today. GMOs foods have been outlawed in most European countries, Scandinavian countries, Japan and many other counties, These are educated countries and the ban was not created by hype but scientific facts or lack of facts. Monsanto is a corporation fueled by profit and greed, corporations have the mind to make money but not the heart to know if the money made is good or bad. God created enough food for all mankind and the devil is making GMO food to corrupt mankind. There is a public movement in the United States to ban GMOs and to label all foods that are tainted with GMOs traits. There is a label in place in the food industries that denotes NON GMOS foods,it is called CERTIFIED ORGANIC!

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Avatar for John Howard John Howard says:
September 8, 2015 at 6:56 am

Actually, God did not supply enough food to feed the people of this earth. It is through scientific advances in growing and distribution that we 7 billion humans are not starving to death. Let’s give credit where credit is due.

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Avatar for Kevin O Kevin O says:
September 9, 2015 at 7:06 pm

Science has created more problems than it has solved. Yes people are living longer but the earth is being burdened with pollution and global warming which its demise will come sooner then late for future generations. It is greed through crooked governments is why there are hungry people in this world. Most money intended for hunger relief ends up in the hands of bad politicians who use it for personal gain. Just saying no one wants to hear the truth because it hurts.

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Avatar for crush davis crush davis says:
September 10, 2015 at 3:19 pm

You’re funny, Kevin. Why didn’t you point out that anti-transgenic crop activists are obstructing the release of ‘Golden Rice,’ which could help malnourished kids get more Vitamin A? Then again, why ask? You’ll just belch out that canard that “traditional plant breeding can produce as good, if not better, NUTRIENT-DENSE rice with more, better Vitamin A than that poopy-head “GMO” stuff!” So if that’s true, Kevin, WHERE IS THIS SUPER-RICE? Maybe the activists should put all that scratch into getting it THAT the public instead of making the headlines fighting the transgenic varieties. Oh, that’s right…Monsanto is suppressing the development and promotion of traditionally-bred crops of any kind. smh. And so it goes, never-ending. The activists have answers for everything, but solutions for nothing. All the while, standing squarely in the path of progress by knowledgeable people who really CAN have a positive influence. Despicable. Just go away. You contribute nothing.

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