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This is the problem that keeps Monsanto's technology chief up at night

GMO crop
An Indian scientist points to a patch of genetically modified rapeseed crop. Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters

The technology used to create genetically modified crops has gotten dramatically better over the last 30 years; we went from launching the first GMO crop trials in 1985 to a situation today where up to 92% of corn and 94% of soybeans in the US are genetically modified. 

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But while the technology has become more advanced, public perception can't get much worse. In a recent reputation ranking of the 100 most visible companies in the US, Monsanto — the king of GMO tech — landed in 96th place, sandwiched between companies like Goldman Sachs, BP, and Halliburton.

Robb Fraley, Monsanto's CTO, says this ongoing issue with gaining the public's approval is constantly on his mind.

"What keeps me awake at night is whether we’ll be successful with winning the trust and support of the public," Fraley tells Tech Insider.

He sees Monsanto's problems as an extension of a larger public distrust of science. "It's not just a challenge facing agriculture — we've been here through the [anti-vaccination] discussions in California, through climate denial."

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As Modern Farmer points out, ongoing legislation around GMO labeling as well as corporate pledges from companies like Chipotle promising to ditch GMO food don't help Monsanto's case. 

"The lesson we’ve learned is that we really need to reach out to the public. We need to make sure policymakers know enough to make the right decision for the right reason. We need world-class science to develop products for consumers, and we need to be excellent at communicating the benefits and our confidence in these products. It's something our industry hasn’t done a great job of,"  Fraley admits.

It's not just Monsanto that has a perception problem; it's the concept of GMO food in general. In 2015, a Pew Research poll found that over half of all Americans think eating GMO foods is unsafe, while two-thirds think scientists don't fully understand the health effects of these products.

When we recently interviewed Mary-Dell Chilton, a pioneer in the GMO field, she said as much. 

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"Everybody in this field is concerned about perception. I think that's going to be the main issue, not the technology. The technology is going to get better and better, and we'll be able to do anything we want," said Chilton.

"The need will get greater and greater. If climate change is really the problem we're afraid it is, we're going to need plant breeding to deal with rapid changes in growth conditions, with pests that attack our plants."

If you agree with the idea that GMO technology will be necessary to feed the world in the coming years, the prospect of a never-ending public perception issue is unsettling. If you don't agree, take a number.

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