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"This study shows acceptance of
ag technology is highly dependent on
the tangible nature of the technology
output," says Arnot. "In other words,
ingredients are not as visible to consum-
ers, while end products like potatoes
sold in the produce section or meat sold
in restaurants are very visible. The more
tangible the product and its perceived
impact, the greater the need to use a
strategic approach to earn acceptance."
When comparing gene-edited plants
and gene-edited animals, those growing
crops have an advantage. The research
showed one-third of consumers had a
positive perception of gene editing in
plants, one third had a negative per-
ception, and the remaining third were
neutral. For animals, 54 percent had a
negative perception; only 18 percent
had a positive percept ion.
"That's because people typically
have a strong affinity for animals," says
Arnot. "There's an emotional connec-
