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GMOs on Cal Poly
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Currently there are no GMOs on Cal Poly land. Cal Poly is largely a hands-on, field training college which places emphasis on practical application of common agricultural practices. Research facilities such as UC Davis, UC Riverside and CSU Fresno place more emphasis on the development of GM products and practices. Cal Poly is heavily influenced by the surrounding community which has proven to be largely split on the topic. Measure Q-04 would have prohibited the use of GM practices on agriculture such as crops and animals in San Luis Obispo County. This measure did not pass, yet, it stirred up great controversy. Because the University is not required to abide by county law, it would have been possible for GM products to be handled on campus. However, the university is sensitive to the public's general concerns and has not begun GM research or application. In fact, several years ago Cal Poly dabbled in GM crops such as BT corn. Curious as to public reaction, Cal Poly offered both BT and organic corn at Farmers Market. Overwhelmingly, the organic corn was preferred. As a campus interested in serving the needs of the public, it was not in Cal Poly's best interest to continue producing BT corn. The experiment of BT corn on campus was during a boom of GM experimentation across the county. Although Cal Poly does not grow GM products, over half of the crops in the U.S. (mostly corn) is grown and sold after genetic modification. Although Cal Poly currently does not appear to be interested in growing GMOs on campus, the school is committed to further refining crop technologies and ensuring that its students are on the cutting edge of the best agriculture production methods. Cal Poly has hundreds of student's statewide who are studying plant biotechnology and the future may bring more GM research onto the practice fields. Sources: Interviews were conducted by Cal Poly students with: Hunter Francis (Earth & Soil Science instructor) Ryan King (Cal Poly Agriculture student) Dr. Jeffrey Wong (Agricultural instructor) Additional information was gathered through: http://www.aspb.org/publicaffairs/agricultural/obispo.cfm
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