ASTA Participates in Congressional Briefing on Innovation in Agriculture

On July 16, ASTA co-hosted a congressional briefing on innovation in agriculture in conjunction with the House Agriculture Research Caucus. Other co-hosts included: the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Plant Biologists, and Biotechnology Innovation Organization.

With over 50 people in attendance, the event connected Congressional staff with a panel of experts in gene editing and communications, including John Sedbrook, PhD, Professor of Genetics at Illinois State University; Amita Mohan, PhD, Professor of Plant Physiology at Temple University; Mark Westhusin, PhD, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Texas A&M; and Bethany Shively, Vice President of Strategic Communications at ASTA.

Panelists discussed current gene editing research; how innovation can provide solutions to nutrition insecurity and climate change mitigation; and consumer perceptions and communications around agriculture innovation.