Will Consumers Embrace Gene Edited Foods?

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

For decades, GMO crops have developed a track record for being safe and effective. More recent gene editing tools are poised to take these benefits to the next level. And ELO Life Systems CEO Todd Rands said more of the benefits are likely to be recognized by consumers.

Rands… “If you give consumers a product that they want, they crave, they see value in it, it's got better nutrition, it's got better flavor, it changes their minds on how the technology was used to create it, and gene editing is a tool that's going to enable a lot of those consumer-focused benefits.”

Rands said this changes the game. Pairwise CEO Tom Adams says we’ve seen a positive example of GMOs benefiting consumers in the pink pineapple.

Adams... "I think you could even add to that there are a couple of GMO products that have been approved in the U. S. for consumers, like, the pink pineapple, which has, there's some health benefits to the pinkness of the pineapple, but that they can't grow enough of those pineapples, and even at a, like, $10 a pineapple price. There's a purple tomato that's not really exactly on the market yet, but it's had a really great following of people who want to buy it."

Rands... "Yeah, those are great examples. And we've got the banana, you know, working with Dole in a partnership with Dole to save the banana from extinction with gene editing tools, creating resistance to this fungus that's wiping out all of the banana production acres. And so it's such an important staple, but the gene editing tools enable that and your choice is to either not have it because it's gone or to continue enjoying it."

Rands and Adams both lead biotechnology companies specializing in gene editing.