U.S. Farmers Choose to Plant Biotech Crop Varieties, Report Shows

Adoption of GE soybeans, cotton and corn remains above 90 percent

Washington, D.C. (July 10, 2015) – American farmers continue to value the economic, environmental and societal benefits of genetically engineered (GE) crops – especially GE soybeans, cotton and corn – according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) report, Genetically engineered varieties of corn, upland cotton, and soybeans, by State and for the Unites States, 2000-15, key findings include:

• Of all soybeans grown in the United States, 94 percent is a genetically engineered variety in 2015.
• Of all cotton grown in the United States, 94 percent is a genetically engineered variety in 2015.
• Of all corn grown in the United States, 92 percent is a genetically engineered variety in 2015.

“Scientific innovation and seed technology have shown to promote environmental sustainability, reduce inputs, increase profit margins for U.S. farming families and keep food costs affordable for U.S. consumers,” said Matt O’Mara, Acting Executive Vice President for Food and Agriculture for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). 

“Genetically engineered crops allow growers to produce the most reliable and abundant yields with less tilling of the soil and fewer applications of insecticides,” explained O’Mara.  “These are just a few of the reasons why farmers and growers here in the United States – as well as 18 million farmers around the world – choose to plant biotech crop varieties where they are available.”

According to an annual report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), biotech crops are the fastest adopted crop technology in the world:

“The global hectarage of biotech crops has increased more than 100-fold from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 181.5 million hectares (nearly 450 million acres) in 2014,” says the ISAAA report Executive Summary.  “This impressive adoption rate speaks for itself, in terms of its sustainability, resilience and the significant benefits it delivers to both small and large farmers as well as consumers.”

**The USDA-ERS report summarizes the extent of adoption of herbicide-tolerant and insect–resistant crops since their introduction in 1996. Three tables within the report devoted to corn, cotton, and soybeans cover the 2000-15 period by U.S. state.  It is posted on the USDA-ERS website.

Upcoming BIO Events 

World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology
July 19-22, 2015
Montréal, Canada

BIO Latin America Conference
October 14-16, 2015
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BIO Investor Forum
October 20-21, 2015
San Francisco, CA