Fran Castle
Former Global Senior Manager, Communications, BASF
Expert Bio
I was with BASF for 12 years working in agriculture both here in the USA and worldwide. Prior to that, I worked for DuPont for 13 years in a variety of marketing and communication positions in several different businesses. I was an urban kid, not growing up on a farm, but have loved my time working with farmers and researchers in order to tell the story about agriculture and how it feeds the world.
Studies, Articles and Answers
Showing 10 out of 19 results
Question
A: Yes! We have been breeding plants for thousands of years to improve certain characteristics, like yield, taste and drought resistance. I am fine with all foods―organic, conventional, etc.―as long as they provide good nutrition and taste. I try to eat healthy and so buy a lot of fruits and veggies, as well as chicken and fish. People are free to choose what types of foods they want to eat and buy for their families. We are very blessed in the United States with the safest and most affordable food supply anywhere in the world. [...]
OtherQuestion
A: We do! None of the independent experts contributing to this site are compensated for their answers. It’s purely voluntarily. Check out a few great independent expert responses: http://gmoanswers.com/ask/i-was-reading-article-and-it-states-free-inquiry-limited-because-patent-protection-gmohttp://gmoanswers.com/ask/have-you-reviewed-study-showing-gmos-caused-cancer-lab-ratshttp://gmoanswers.com/ask/what-are-effects-gmos-human-body-has-gmo-foods-led-increase-development-allergies-among-certain [...]
GMO Basics Health & SafetyQuestion
A: We do! About 50 independent experts have voluntarily contributed answers to the site. In addition, we ask company experts to respond to specific questions about company products or practices. Check out a few great independent expert responses: I was reading this article and it states that free inquiry is limited because of patent protection on GMO seeds. The article suggests this limit is unscientific, and it seems so to me (as a layman) that it is. What can you tell me about this position the GMO seed companies take? How can it be scientific to not allow free inquiry?Have you reviewed t [...]
OtherQuestion
Q: I heard that there is spider/animal DNA in tomatoes, is this true?
A: It is not true. There’s a lot of misinformation about GM crops on the Internet―including the idea that there are animal genes in tomatoes. While there have been laboratory experiments where a gene was introduced that was based on a gene from an animal (the one folks may be most familiar with is a flounder gene in tomatoes to see if it would make them more cold tolerant), none of our companies has commercial GM crops on the market that are genetically modified to contain animal genes. With regard to GM tomatoes, there are not currently any commercial products on th [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: There are many studies demonstrating the safety of GM food. There is a great website where you can find links to over 600 studies: GENERA project at Biofortified. Each has citations and, in many cases, the full text of the study. And here’s a link to a response about the rigorous testing procedures GM foods must go through before they are put on the market: How are GMO foods regulated? Farmers have the right to choose the types of seed that are best for their type of farming. All the member companies here at the Council for Biotechnology Information support all types of fa [...]
GMO Basics Health & SafetyQuestion
A: Figuring out how to feed more people with the same land resources while protecting the environment is a global reality. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that by 2050, we will need to increase food production by 100 percent to have enough to feed the world. Although issues like food waste, distribution and politics play an important role in food deficiencies in the developing world, the truth is that our planet's population is increasing and our farmland is shrinking. We will need all types of farming to meet this demand. As agricult [...]
Environment Health & SafetyQuestion
Q: Are GMO's a form of population control?
A: No. GMOs are helping farmers produce a more abundant food supply on less land with fewer inputs. More information about the evolution of crop improvement is available in our Explore the Basics section. You may also be interested in the following resources: Sense About Science, an independent trust in the UK that works with over 5,000 scientists to help the public make sense of claims about scientific evidence. In this article, they talk about GMOs.ISAAA summary of 49 peer-reviewed publications of farmer surveys that show how genetically modified crops have benefited farmers, es [...]
OtherQuestion
A: I am sorry that you were concerned. There is certainly quite a bit of misinformation about GM crops on the Internet that is designed to mislead and scare consumers. There are no commercial GM crops on the market that contain animal genes. It should be noted that plant scientists who study the genomes of plants have estimated that about 60 percent of the genes present in plants have very similar copies in animals. This is not surprising, since all organisms use the same genetic toolbox. DNA from any source is made up of the same four basic nucleotide building blocks: a [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: You found it! We’ve been working with about 50 independent experts who have volunteered to answer questions. None of the independent experts contributing to this site are compensated for their answers. It’s purely voluntarily. Check out a few great independent expert responses: http://gmoanswers.com/ask/i-was-reading-article-and-it-states-free-inquiry-limited-because-patent-protection-gmohttp://gmoanswers.com/ask/have-you-reviewed-study-showing-gmos-caused-cancer-lab-ratshttp://gmoanswers.com/ask/what-are-effects-gmos-human-body-has-gmo-foods-led-increase-development-allergies-amon [...]
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