|
Study tallies benefits of biotech crops
Since the introduction of Bt corn and Roundup Ready soybeans, farmers in the U.S. have continued to plant increasing acreage to biotechnology-derived (biotech) crops. The reason is that the crops pay - in better yields and reduced pesticide use, according to a study update released by the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP).
"After nine years of commercialization, the benefits of biotech crops are self-evident, and growers are responding to better yields and greater financial return by further increasing the number of acres planted to these varieties," said Jill Long Thompson, CEO of the NCFAP. "Obviously, these crops have demonstrated great benefits to growers, but what we're seeing now is the significant extent to which these benefits increase each year."
The study is an annual update of a 2002 report by NCFAP based on data from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service and surveys of crop specialists from various universities.
The research examined 11 case studies of six biotech crops planted in the U.S. in 2004: herbicide resistant canola, corn, cotton, and soybeans; virus-resistant squash and papaya; three types of insect-resistant corn; and two types of insect-resistant cotton.
Some interesting findings revealed by the study are:
- In 2004, U.S. farmers planted biotech crops on 118 million acres, an increase of 11% over 2003.
- Compared with conventional crops, biotech varieties increased food production by 6.6 billion pounds, a 24% improvement from 2003.
- Compared with conventional crops, biotech varieties provided $2.3 billion in additional net returns for U.S. growers, a 21% increase from 2004.
- Planting biotech varieties resulted in significant crop impacts in all six crops evaluated in the study.
- All together, the biotech crops reduced pesticide use by 34% compared with 2003. Herbicide-resistant crops accounted for the largest reduction of pesticide use compared with other applications.
- Insect-resistant crops produced the greatest yield increase among the crops studied, improving food and fiber production by 6.5 billion pounds.
- While the economic and production benefits have been significant, biotech crops also have reduced the need for tillage.
"Biotech crops have helped in making great strides and adopting conservation tillage practices, which not only reduce erosion but also decrease greenhouse gas emissions that result from cultivating the soil," Sujatha Sankula, Ph.D., and lead author of the study.
(http://www.agriculture.com)
|
