GMO Answers Promotes Open Dialogue on GMOs with Breakthrough Programming at SXSW

AUSTIN, Texas, March 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This year, the exhibition floor of SXSW will look a little different, as GMO Answers brings genetically modified crops (GMOs) to the festival for attendees to experience as part of a "low tech conversation about high tech crops." GMO Answers, a public education program intended to create an open, transparent conversation about GMOs, invites consumers to "Ask Us Anything."  At SXSW, consumers will get their questions answered by experts in-person – farmers, scientists and nutritionists – and, for the first time ever at the festival, touch and feel crops made with GM seeds. SXSW attendees will also participate in live demonstrations, as well as an in-person Reddit "Ask me Anything," and a "Get to Know GMOs" marketplace. The "low-tech conversation about high-tech crops" kicks off this morning with a panel discussion between GMO Answers and Ben & Jerry's seeking common ground on how our food is grown.

"We're really excited to be at SXSW this year. Until now, most of the conversation has taken place online at GMOAnswers.com and across social media. At SXSW we're taking this to the next level, engaging in a dialogue with Ben & Jerry's to explore where we have common ground on transparency, surrounding agriculture, the environment, and the food we serve our families," said Cathleen Enright, Ph.D., spokesperson of GMO Answers and executive director of the Council for Biotechnology Information.

"We also know that many consumers have never visited a farm to see first-hand how our food is grown. We're excited to offer people the opportunity to experience GMO crops in person, and to talk to farmers, scientists and nutritionists who develop, grow or study our food and how it is grown," Enright continued.

Following is an overview of the GMO Answers program at SXSW:

• Cathleen Enright, Ph.D., will appear alongside Chris Miller, Social Mission Activism Manager at Ben & Jerry's, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. CT today to ask: "Can Common Food Goals Find Common Ground?" The SouthBites panel, moderated by Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspel, will discuss what defines transparency, what's widening the divide between those working for it, and ways we can work together to achieve common goals. A video recording will be available at some point after the panel discussion.
• The GMO Answers exhibit (Exhibit Halls 3 & 4, Booth #741) will be open for visitors from March 15-18. GMO Answers will have a total of 18 independent and seed company experts on hand to walk consumers through the displays and answer any questions they may have. These experts are part of a larger community of more than 200 scholars, farmers and scientists who have answered nearly 800 questions on GMOAnswers.com.
• The GMO Answers booth will also host live demonstrations illustrating the process of making GMOs through simple, hands-on experiments. Planned demonstrations include how to make a GMO/DNA extraction, leaf punches and plant breeding methods. GMO Answers will also provide more information on pesticides, herbicide-resistant crops and government regulations.  
• GMO Answers has partnered with Reddit to host a live, in-person version of the social network's Ask Me Anything (AMA) online sessions. Reddit will moderate a panel discussion with Cathleen Enright, Ph.D., along with Brian Scott, a corn, soybean, popcorn and wheat farmer, and Connie Diekman, M.Ed., RD, LD, FADA, at the booth on March 16 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. CT, which will be recorded and live streamed.
• Lastly, GMO Answers is also an official host of the SXSW Block Party on March 17 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. CT, with a "Get to Know GMOs" marketplace, where visitors can enjoy refreshments, potato chips fried in a healthier high oleic GMO soybean oil and can learn more about today's GM crops and the future potential of biotechnology.

About GMO Answers
GMO Answers is committed to responding to your questions about how our food is grown. Our goal is to make information about agricultural biotechnology easier to access and evaluate. The members of GMO Answers commit to five core principles – welcoming and answering questions on all GMO topics; making GMO information, research and data easy to access and evaluate, and supporting independent safety testing of GM products using validated science-based methods; supporting farmers as they work to grow crops using precious resources more efficiently, with less impact on the environment and producing safe, nutritious food and feed products; respecting farmers' rights to choose the seeds that are best for their farms, businesses and communities and providing seed choices that include including making non-GM seeds based on market demands; and respecting people around the world and their right to choose healthy food products that are best for themselves and their families. GMO Answers is produced by the members of The Council for Biotechnology Information, which includes BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences LLC, DuPont, Monsanto Company and Syngenta. Our members are dedicated to the responsible development and application of plant biotechnology. Visit www.GMOAnswers.com.

SOURCE GMO Answers

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