Bringing the public with you... lessons in social license and plant genetics, with Vonnie Estes

Agtech - So What?

Vonnie Estes has been at the forefront of genetics in agriculture for 30 years. She’s witnessed the public backlash over GMO crops in the 1990s, as well as the hype over biofuels in the U.S in the 2000s. Vonnie has also seen great advancements in plant breeding and genetics, working for Monsanto, Dupont, and Syngenta, as well as with multiple ag and biotech startups.
In her current role as Vice-President of Technology at the Produce Marketing Association, Vonnie helps companies navigate the confusing agtech landscape, investigating the sorts of food innovations consumers want (such as better taste), as well as innovations the world will increasingly need, such as drought and flood resistant crops. In this episode she talks about:

• The communications challenges in navigating science vs. emotion when introducing new technologies in food
• What business models will win as new innovations in gene editing and soil carbon come to market
• How emerging ag and biotech companies will transform supply chains

For more resources from this episode, visit our website.