Biofortified

Biofortified is an independent nonprofit website devoted to providing factual information and fostering discussion about agriculture, especially plant genetics and genetic engineering. The site is written by graduate students and professors, along with other guest experts. Articles are written on a voluntary basis. Although topics related to genetic engineering are a primary focus of the blog, Biofortified features content on a range of topics related to food and agriculture, such as organic farming, plant breeding, genetics, food safety, recipes, beekeeping, and political and philosophical issues.
Biofortified also generates public resources. The editors maintain a list of peer-reviewed scientific studies related to the relative risks of genetic engineering in agriculture, and are developing a way to make them more accessible to the public, called the GENetic Engineering Risk Atlas (GENERA). The site maintains a collection of images for use by media organizations, and lists applications of genetic engineering.
History
In 2008, the founding editors noticed a lack of an online forum where people could meet to discuss issues related to genetically engineered plants, and engage in civil dialogue. They decided that the best way to do this is with a group blog that would provide two-way interactions and allow for a wide range of contributions and collaborations. Biofortified was launched on October 31, 2008, on Halloween.
Impact
Biofortified editors have given poster presentations at scientific conferences, and have given interviews for print, radio, and video-based media outlets. As of December, 2011, the site has over 600 posts and 11,000 comments, and receives 20,000 hits per month. Articles from Biofortified are also included in Google News feeds.
Frank N. Foode
One of Biofortified's contributions to discussions about genetic engineering in agriculture is its mascot, Frank N. Foode. The name is a play on "Frankenfood" - a derogatory term used to describe Genetically Modified Food. The stuffed "Frank" doll has been photographed with people including Michael Pollan and Tom Vilsack, and plants including Cassava and Petunias. The site's mascot also has a devoted Twitter feed with over 600 followers.

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