UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences chairman Kevin Folta will advise the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Monday, Oct. 6 on the use of transgenic crops, or GMOs.

The committee will have an informational meeting at 9 a.m. with nationally recognized scientists offering presentations about GMO foods. The legislators are gathering information in advance of debate over a bill that would require labeling of genetically engineered food.

Legislators wanted to hear from scientists from Penn State University and others who have published in scientific journals. The discussion will be broadcast Monday morning on Pennsylvania C-SPAN.

Folta is a professor with internationally recognized programs in strawberry genomics and light regulation of plant traits. He has gained national visibility in relating science to public audiences, particularly in the area of GMOs, and is an active social media presence in the debate. In June 2013, he defended biotechnology in a public forum hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute and organized a June 2014 event on the UF campus to help the public better understand the issues surrounding GMOs.

Contacts

Writer: Mickie Anderson, 352-273-3566, mickiea@ufl.edu

Source: Kevin Folta, kfolta@ufl.edu, @kevinfolta

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