The First Decade of Genetically Engineered Crops in the USA (original) (raw)

The First Decade of Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States

Ten years after the first generation of genetically engineered (GE) varieties became commercially available, adoption of these varieties by U.S. farmers is widespread for major crops. Driven by farmers' expectations of higher yields, savings in management time, and lower pesticide costs, the adoption of corn, soybean, and cotton GE varieties has increased rapidly. Despite the benefits, however, environmental and consumer concerns may have limited acceptance of GE crops, particularly in Europe. This report focuses on GE crops and their adoption in the United States over the past 10 years. It examines the three major stakeholders of agricultural biotechnology and finds that (1) the pace of R&D activity by producers of GE seed (the seed firms and technology providers) has been rapid, (2) farmers have adopted some GE varieties widely and at a rapid rate and benefited from such adoption, and (3) the level of consumer concerns about foods that contain GE ingredients varies by country,...

Global Adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: Challenges for the Public Sector

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 2016

Advances in biotechnology continue to drive the development of a wide range of insect-protected, herbicide-tolerant, stress-tolerant, and nutritionally enhanced genetically modified (GM) crops, yet societal and public policy considerations may slow their commercialization. Such restrictions may disproportionately affect developing countries, as well as smaller entrepreneurial and public sector initiatives. The 2014 IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry (San Francisco, CA, USA; August 2014) included a symposium on "Challenges Associated with Global Adoption of Agricultural Biotechnology" to review current obstacles in promoting GM crops. Challenges identified by symposium presenters included (i) poor public understanding of GM technology and the need for enhanced communication strategies, (ii) nonharmonized and prescriptive regulatory requirements, and (iii) limited experience with regulations and product development within some public sector programs. The nee...

Public Acceptance of Plant Biotechnology and GM Crops

Viruses, 2015

A wide gap exists between the rapid acceptance of genetically modified (GM) crops for cultivation by farmers in many countries and in the global markets for food and feed, and the often-limited acceptance by consumers. This review contrasts the advances of practical applications of agricultural biotechnology with the divergent paths—also affecting the development of virus resistant transgenic crops—of political and regulatory frameworks for GM crops and food in different parts of the world. These have also shaped the different opinions of consumers. Important factors influencing consumer’s attitudes are the perception of risks and benefits, knowledge and trust, and personal values. Recent political and societal developments show a hardening of the negative environment for agricultural biotechnology in Europe, a growing discussion—including calls for labeling of GM food—in the USA, and a careful development in China towards a possible authorization of GM rice that takes the societal discussions into account. New breeding techniques address some consumers’ concerns with transgenic crops, but it is not clear yet how consumers’ attitudes towards them will develop. Discussions about agriculture would be more productive, if they would focus less on technologies, but on common aims and underlying values.

A Synopsis of US Consumer Perception of Genetically Modified (Biotech) Crops

EDIS, 2013

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations.

Experiences and Prospects of Genetically Engineered Crops

Choices. The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resources Issues, 2016

The debate about genetically engineered (GE) crops has become increasingly polarized in the United States, Europe, and some developing countries. The debate polarization has not been resolved in and by the complex and seemingly divergent literature that examines the impacts of the actual and potential adoption and commercialization of GE crops in industrialized and non-industrialized countries. To better understand the rich literature accumulated over the past twenty years, the National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering (NAS) established a committee of experts to compile existing questions and issues from the public, collect and assess existing evidence and draw a set of findings, conclusions and recommendations to help the public and policy makers understand better the complex landscape. The NAS Committee objective was to review the accumulated literature to better assess the purported positive and negative impacts of GE crops, as well as the institutional framework in which these technologies have been released. The analysis also included assessing the potential role that emerging genetically engineered technologies will play on future crop improvement efforts and their impact on long term goals such as food security. This article summarizes the U.S. National Academies Report. In addition, the article provides the current article author's personal clarification notes about the content of the NAS Report. Furthermore, while the NAS Report has a global focus, this article directs attention to the most important issues discussed in policy dialogues in the United States, while highlighting relevant issues and aspects from other countries.