Calgene Case Study
Reasons for creating the genetically modified tomato: rhea reasons for creating genetically modified tomatoes were because of the potential advantages of genetically modified foods. Currently, vegetables and fruits are not commercially cultivated merely for the local market, but are intended for shipping over long distances to nation-wide and international markets. Ripe fruits and vegetables have soft skins and can easily be damaged during handling and processing.
They can also rot in the time taken to ship and get them to the shops. In order to ensure easier handling and longer shelf-life, vegetables and fruits are harvested when still green and then artificially ripened with ethylene gas. The drawback of doing so is that the artificially ripened fruits and vegetables do not have he taste and flavor of their naturally ripened counterparts.
Farmers are opposed to the idea of mono-crops in agriculture and giving up the notion of season. Farmers are used to not having all fruits and vegetables at their peaks 365 days a {ear, and social norms dictate certain times of the year to yield the best flavors of different products. Tomatoes are “supposed” to be best in the summer, so it is strange to think of January as a time for fresh “summer” produce. In order to target farmers, Challenge can decide to build vertically integrated operating businesses.
This strategy will provide access to agricultural input markets where Challenge would sell the genetically altered seeds.
MEDIA Media played a big role in shaping the environment of agricultural technology. Collagen’s objective was to have an informed national press. Maintaining cordial relations with media enabled Challenge to know beforehand of protests by activist groups such as Riffing Pure Food campaign and be prepared to take proactive reaction. Media was also a platform to influence consumer perceptions on a massive scale.
The ultimate goal of any company is to increase sales in order to maximize profits.
More sales can be generated only through customer awareness and increased customer acceptance of our product. In order to do so, Challenge as a GM based company cannot succeed in breaking the link between GM foods and FLAIR SAVE tomatoes. Other products of Challenge include experiments with cottonseed, rapeseed, etc. Hence, it can increase efforts in reducing the association between health risk, carcinogens, etc and GM products.
This can be achieved through media promotions for which it is first necessary to gain support from the media.
rhea predominant fear is that engineers will create exotic or monster plants that will have the ability to do things that could never occur in nature and that can have uncertain effects upon those who eat the products of such plants–or at the very least, that plants could become weed-like, resistant to disease and pesticides, and spread. First, the genetic engineering process is often considered different from traditional plant breeding.
While conventional plant breeders regularly attempt to introduce desirable genes from wild varieties into promising commercial varieties of food crops, they usually do so by transferring large numbers of various genes, and the results are often fairly unpredictable. In contrast, genetic engineers transfer very few genes In the case of the Flair-Save, only one gene), bringing changes that are very clearly defined and predictable. Since the FLAIR SAVE tomato maintains the essential characteristics of traditionally developed tomatoes, FDA will not require special labeling.
However, in order to calm fears about genetically engineered tomatoes and price increases, purchase labeling Mould be provided about GM and the tomato, along with disclosure of the nature of the product on labels as well as P-O-P displays and in detailed brochures at detectable counters.
The tomato-shaped, open-out brochure that accompanies the moat states that they are grown from Flair Save seeds and provide summertime taste year round. Consumers are asked not to store the tomatoes in the refrigerator to preserve flavor.
On the back of the brochure, there is an explanation of how the Flair Save was developed. However, customers need not always be ready to go through detailed brochure to find out product details. This is where the role of the media kicks in. Through various promotional activities in the media we can increase consumer awareness and at the same time weaken the link between cancer and GM foods.
Thus the media can be seed as a platform to address the health concerns over the safety of GM foods.
