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Biotech Crops Put Down Roots

Posted on: Thursday, 14 February 2008, 06:00 CST

Worldwide acreage devoted to biotech crops grew 12% in 2007, reaching 282 million acres, according to an annual report by an organization that supports and tracks their adoption.

Last year, 12 million farmers planted biotech crops, up from 10 million in 2006, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Genetically engineered seed has been available commercially since 1996.

Genetically modified crops have genes from other plants or microbes inserted into them to make them resistant to pests or diseases. Another modification is to make a plant resistant to an herbicide, which can be applied to a field, killing everything but the crop.

Especially in Europe, biotech crops are viewed with concern because many believe they are a threat to the environment. But U.S. soy, corn, cotton and canola farmers have embraced them. Other biotech crops include squash, papaya, alfalfa, sweet peppers, petunias, carnations and poplar trees.

In 2007, 23 countries grew biotech crops. The top five were the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and India.

But a report this week by Friends of the Earth and the Center for Food Safety, both of which oppose bioengineered crops, says genetically engineered crops do little for poor farmers.

"The majority of GM crops are used to feed animals in rich countries, to produce damaging agrofuels and don't even yield more than conventional crops," says Nnimmo Bassey of Friends of the Earth International.

The report finds biotech crops primarily benefit larger farmers with the resources to buy the more expensive genetically engineered seeds and apply the necessary herbicides and chemical fertilizers.

Source: USA TODAY

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