The issue of "should we label" comes up time and time again with respect to GE and cloned foods. It brings to the fore, and forces us to integrate, many of the science and social issues discussed in this class.

You will be asked to take on a role, or will be assigned a role, on a panel that is presenting expert testimony on government policy on GE and cloned foods. First come first served, so let us know your preference as soon as you can (email OK; you can also suggest another role if you don't like what is given below). Unless otherwise arranged, your role will be either as a:

1. Ethicist
2. Biotechnologist working at a university
3. Public relations officer of a multinational biotechnology company that markets cloned animals and/or GE crops
4. Beef/pig farmer that would like to use cloned animals
5. Agribusiness farmer that grows insect tolerant Bt-corn and Roundup-Ready soy
6. Small farmer that grows virus-resistant papaya for the fresh market
7. Left or right leaning journalist
8. Left or right leaning lawyer
9. Left or right leaning food safety expert
10. Right-leaning political/social scientist or journalist
11. Left-leaning political/social scientist or journalist

You will be asked to testify, where you provocatively (have some fun) and/or soundly (be the all-knowing expert) present your view of the key issues that the government should consider before making a decision about if, and how, to label GE and food from cloned animals. Please aim for three minutes for your oral remarks.

You may read from a prepared transcript (does not need to be word for word), or use powerpoint slides; either way, please hand in a printed version of your remarks that can be understood on their own at the time of your presentation (required length given in class web page on grading). If you use ppt, be sure to send the ppt slide presentation to Strauss via email by 5 PM the day before the panel discussion so we can have it on the computer, ready for you to show.

You will also be expected to cross-examine other panel members, so have at least one question ready for another panel member, preferably one directed at a member whose views are contrary to yours. Depending on time, there may be a small debate/discussion.

The issues you may wish to consider in your testimony and questions include:

• If GE and cloned foods are safe, why bother to label?
• If they are safe, why NOT label...i.e., what are you hiding?
• If we decide to label, how do we do it?
• What do we monitor and print on the label?
• How we verify compliance?
• Who/how pays for the tracking and checking system?
• What percentage of GE or cloned food in a mixture deserves a label? Does it depend on amount of DNA, protein, or documents that track the food supply chain?
• How do we harmonize the different systems that might arise in different states and countries?
• How do we deal with processed foods where the GE DNA or derived protein is chemically modified or removed so as not to be readily quantifiable?
• How do we deal with restaurant food where food is often processed, mixed in complex and variable ways, and consumers generally do not want to read technical labels along with their fine wine?
• Is legal and ethical to label, increasing costs and possibly alarming consumers?
• Is there evidence that labels improve consumer choice, or the opposite?