Agricultural Biotechnology
ELSI Assignment

Instructions

• Pick an Ag Biotech product that interests you (a few examples are given below, but you are encouraged to pick a product not listed below).
• Write a minimum-one-page report about ELSI (ethical, legal, social issues) associated with the product (total value of report: 100 pts.).
• Your report should contain:
  • A brief summary of what the product is, how it works, and how it was created (10 pts.).
  • A summary of the positive and negative arguments about the product's use, its advancement of agriculture, and its economic impact (30 pts.).
  • A statement of your position about the product (i.e., for or against) (10 pts).
  • A justification and qualification of your position (i.e., informal cost-benefit analysis) (20 pts.).
  • References (15 pts.).
  • Creativity and originality in presentation, organization, grammar, and readability (15 pts.).

Ag Biotech Example Products

• Bovine somatotropin (bST)
• Roundup® Ready corn or soybeans
• Other herbicide-resistant crops
• High oil corn
• BT corn or cotton
• Student's choice (check with instructor)

Submission

• You may submit the completed assignment by the usual means.