COMMENTS SOUGHT:  LAND GRANT UNIVERSITIES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

A committee of university scientists has been evaluating the roles and responsibilities of the Land Grant University (LGU) system in the area of biotechnology research and communication. The main activity has been an Internet-based survey of administrators and faculty from every state.  A total of 1802 completed surveys were received. Anyone with an interest in biotechnology is invited to provide comments on the implications of these survey results. Ideas and insights may be shared at the following Internet address:  http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/biotech/

Results provide insights into the challenges and opportunities universities face in this complex and controversial area.  Key findings include:

-  LGU faculty believes that the main role of the LGU system should be to assess the risks of agricultural biotechnology and provide information to public policy makers.

-  A majority see shrinking government funding as an obstacle to LGUs addressing the challenges and opportunities of biotechnology. There is a general consensus that funding shortfalls could be overcome by increased corporate sponsorship of LGU research programs, but that this could result in research being tailored too much to the needs of industry. 

-  Environmental protection, including reduced reliance on agricultural chemicals and promoting sustainability, were viewed as the most important benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

-  Biotechnology companies are seen as benefiting the most from biotechnology, while LGUs are viewed as least likely to benefit.

-  Increased corporate control over agriculture is the greatest concern among the respondents related to agricultural biotechnology. The top concern about the LGU system is that it is not perceived as neutral on this topic.

Comments on the results need to be received by October 1, 2003.   For more information contact TOM HOBAN at tom_hoban@ncsu.edu.