The Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Committee on ong>theong> ong>Impactong> of Biotechnology on Farm-Level Econo / National Research Council, PUBLISHER: National Academies Press, Song>inong>ce genetically engong>inong>eered (GE) crops were ong>inong>troduced ong>inong> , ong>theong>ir use ong>inong> ong>theong> United States has grown rapidly, accountong>inong>g for percent of soybean, corn, and cotton acreage ong>inong> . To date, crops with traits that provide resistance to some herbicides and to specific ong>inong>sect pests have benefited adoptong>inong>g farmers by reducong>inong>g crop losses to ong>inong>sect damage, by ong>inong>creasong>inong>g flexibility ong>inong> time management, and by facilitatong>inong>g ong>theong> use of more environmentally friendly pesticides and tillage practices. However, excessive reliance on a song>inong>gle technology combong>inong>ed with a lack of diverse farmong>inong>g practices could undermong>inong>e ong>theong> economic and environmental gaong>inong>s from ong>theong>se GE crops. Oong>theong>r challenges could hong>inong>der ong>theong> application of ong>theong> technology to a broader spectrum of crops and uses. Several reports from ong>theong> National Research Council have addressed ong>theong> effects of GE crops on ong>theong> environment and on human health. However, "ong>Theong> ong>Impactong> of Genetically Engong>inong>eered Crops on Farm Sustaong>inong>ability ong>inong> ong>theong> United States" is ong>theong> first comprehensive assessment of ong>theong> environmental, economic, and social ong>impactong>s of ong>theong> GE-crop revolution on U.S. farms. It addresses how GE crops have affected U.S. farmers, both adopters and nonadopters of ong>theong> technology, ong>theong>ir ong>inong>comes, agronomic practices, production decisions, environmental resources, and personal well-beong>inong>g. ong>Theong> book offers several new fong>inong>dong>inong>gs and four recommendations that could be useful to farmers, ong>inong>dustry, science organizations, policy makers, and oong>theong>rs ong>inong> government agencies.