Biology Fortified, Inc.
Biology Fortified, Inc. (BFI) is an independent nonprofit organization devoted to providing factual information and fostering discussion AbOUT agriculture, especially plant genetics and genetic engineering. A variety of professionals, including scientists and farmers, contribute material to the website on a volunteer basis. Although topics related to genetic engineering are a primary focus of the blog, BFI 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.
BFI 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 maintains a database of genetically engineered traits.
History
In 2008, the founders of BFI noticed a lack of an online forum where people could meet to discuss issues related to genetically engineered plants and to engage in civil dialogue. In order to foster communication between scientists and the public, the founders launched a blog that featured a wide range of contributions and collaborations. Biofortified.org was launched on October 31, 2008. The site was named for the concept of biofortification, where the nutritional content of foods is enhanced through breeding or genetic engineering. About 20 authors have contributed articles to the blog, half of them on a regular basis. In 2012, the organization incorporated in the state of Wisconsin as a nonprofit corporation, changing the name from Biofortified to Biology Fortified, Inc. (the "Inc." is required by the state of Wisconsin). In 2013, BFI was awarded federal status as a 501(c)(3) (EIN 45-5503492).
Funding
BFI is run by volunteers, and is not supported by any funding from any corporate or government entities. Site hosting costs were initially covered by the founding members, and continue to be supported by donations from individuals. In 2009, BFI won the user-voted Ashoka Changemakers GMO Risk or Rescue contest, securing a small grant for the organization. In 2012, BFI was awarded a grant from the American Society of Plant Biologists to help produce the GENERA resource.
Impact
BFI editors have given poster presentations at scientific conferences, and have given InterViews in print and on radio. As of January 2014, the site has more than 930 posts and 10,000 comments, and receives 50,000 hits per month. As of October 2013, the website had received 1 million visits since its founding. Articles from BFI are indexed in Google News. Many readers are themselves scientists in plant or agriculture-related fields, or work for companies involved in agriculture or biotechnology.
Frank N. Foode
One of BFI's contributions to discussions about genetic engineering in agriculture is its mascot, Frank N. Foode, a bespectacled ear of corn. The name is a play on "Frankenfood," a derogatory term used to describe genetically modified food. The plush "Frank" doll has been photographed with notable people, including Michael Pollan and Tom Vilsack, and plants, including cassava and petunias. The site's mascot also has a devoted Twitter feed with 2,000 followers. A Kickstarter campaign is planned to launch February 5, 2014 to mass-produce Frank plush dolls.