People in the agriculture industry understand there are benefits to gene editing in animal and plant production. However, many consumers with little to no connection to the farm can be apprehensive.
Speaking on January 20 at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, Roxi Beck, director of consumer engagement with the Center for Food Integrity, shared four key ways to effectively communicate with skeptics of gene editing. Those are:
1. Be trustworthy and relatable
The agriculture sector needs spokespeople on gene editing who are credentialed, but also relatable and trustworthy. It is important that the spokespeople have shared values with the consuming public, and that they realize that people in agriculture eat, too.
“Shared values are 3 to 5 times more important than just bringing facts. We have to talk about who we are and what we’re dedicated to, what we have ethical obligations to do, and what’s important to us before we can introduce the technology and why we use it,” Beck said.
2. Connect gene editing with human health
Some gene editing technologies are definitely groundbreaking. But rather than describe them as “revolutionary,” describe them as “evolutionary.” Use of the word “revolution,” conjures up images of turbulence. Instead, talk about how gene editing has made things better for the consumer over time and how the end products can actually be better for a person’s health, she said.
3. Demonstrate benefits that align with what the public wants
Make sure that the consumers understand that the use of gene editing can benefit them. They aren’t interested in how it is good for the companies creating the technologies or those companies’ bottom lines. Their interest in how it benefits the farmer is also limited. Make it apply to them.
“It’s hard for them to understand what’s going on on the farm and be supportive when they really don’t understand the changes that are taking place,” she said.
4. Use visuals and/or analogies
Consumers don’t want an academic explanation of the benefits. They want it understandable, and visual aids and analogies are a good way to do that. However, it is important to make sure they are not oversimplified or condescending.
