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Robert T. Fraley

Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Monsanto Company

Expert Bio

Dr. Robert Fraley is Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Monsanto. He has been with the company for more than 30 years, and currently oversees the company’s global technology division which includes plant breeding, plant biotechnology, ag biologicals, ag microbials, precision agriculture and crop protection. Dr. Fraley is recognized as the father of agricultural biotechnology, and has been involved in ag research since the early 1980s. He has authored more than 100 publications and patent applications. Dr. Fraley’s discoveries and applications of science are also routinely recognized for the tremendous impact they’ve had in supporting farmers and the agriculture demands of our planet. Dr. Fraley’s honors include: a World Food Prize Laureate (2013), the National Medal of Technology from President Clinton (1998), the National Academy of Sciences Award for the Industrial Application of Science for his work on crop improvement (2008), among other recognitions.

 

Dr. Fraley’s educational background includes Fellowship from the University of California, San Francisco, a Ph.D in microbiology/biochemistry from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois.

 

Studies, Articles and Answers

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Question

Q: How did Roundup Ready and Roundup develop?

Answered By Robert T. Fraley - Sep 28, 2015

A: Thank you for your question. My response will cover the history of Roundup and some interesting information about Roundup Ready crops and how they relate to GMO. Firstly, what is Roundup Ready and what are Roundup Ready crops? Roundup Ready is a trademark name for a patented line of genetically modified crop seeds that are resistant to the glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup. These crops are called ‘Roundup Ready crops’. So, who invented Roundup? Glyphosate, the active agent in Roundup, was first discovered to be an herbicide in 1970 by Monsanto chemist, John Franz. At that time in th [...]

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