Advisory: UW-Madison experts contribute to national GMO crops report

Two University of Wisconsin–Madison professors contributed to a national report on genetically engineered (GE) crops to be released on Tuesday, May 17 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. At 11 a.m. EDT that day, both will participate in a report release event in Washington D.C., a public briefing that can be watched via live webcast.

The report, titled “Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects,” provides an independent, objective examination of a range of issues related to GE crops — including economic, agronomic, health, safety and other factors — based on current scientific evidence.

The UW–Madison faculty members who served on the report committee are:

Rick Amasino, professor of biochemistry, amasino@biochem.wisc.edu, (608) 265-2170. Amasino’s research program uses model plants such as Arabidopsis and the grass Brachypodium to study the biochemical pathways that enable plants to flower at specific times of the year. His lab uses genetic engineering techniques to explore and answer basic research questions.

Dominique Brossard, professor and chair of life sciences communication, dbrossard@wisc.edu, (608) 263-3073. Brossard is an expert on science communication dynamics in new media environments and public opinion dynamics related to controversial scientific issues, including GE crops and foods.

Amasino and Brossard are among four report committee members selected to participate in the public briefing for the report, which can be watched online via live webcast at 11 a.m. EDT on May 17. To register for the webcast, go to: http://nas-sites.org/ge-crops/2016/04/27/report-release/.

Advance copies of the report will be available to reporters starting at 12 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 16. The report is embargoed and not for public release before 11 a.m. EDT on May 17. Reporters may obtain copies by contacting the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Office of News and Public Information at news@nas.edu or (202) 334-2138.

To speak with Amasino and Brossard ahead of the report’s official release, reporters should contact the Academies’ news office directly.

For more information, visit the report website at http://nas-sites.org/ge-crops/, follow @NASciences_Ag on Twitter, or monitor the hashtag #GECropStudy on Twitter.

For assistance reaching Amasino or Brossard, please contact Nicole Miller at nicole.miller@wisc.edu or (608) 262-3636.