Iowans with questions about crops containing genetically-modified organisms will gather for a statewide informational conference today. The G-M-O forum called “Assessing Risk and Seeking Opportunities” will be beamed live from Ames to 16 cities using the Iowa Communications Network. Organizers expect a wide range of people to attend.Jamie Cashman is a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Agriculture. He says they want to be an information source for producers.Speakers at the forum will include Iowa Ag Secretary Patty Judge, an economist, elevator operators, co-op managers, Pioneer Hi-Bred officials and an assistant Iowa Attorney General. Cashman says the state is carefully stradling the line, not endorsing and not criticizing the G-M-O technology and is just laying out the facts.The program begins at 8:30 a-m and runs through 3:30 this afternoon. It will originate at the Scheman Building in Ames. The I-C-N viewing sites are: Algona, Cedar Rapids, Corning, Denison, Fort Dodge, Jackson Junction, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason City, Mount Pleasant, Muscatine, Newton, Oelwein, Ottumwa, Sheldon and Spencer.
