The Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Committee on ong>theong> ong>Impactong> ong>ofong> Biotechnology on Farm-Level Econo / National Research Council, PUBLISHER: National Academies Press, Since genetically engineered (GE) crops were introduced in , ong>theong>ir use in ong>theong> United States has grown rapidly, accounting for percent ong>ofong> soybean, corn, and cotton acreage in . To date, crops with traits that provide resistance to some herbicides and to specific insect pests have benefited adopting farmers by reducing crop losses to insect damage, by increasing flexibility in time management, and by facilitating ong>theong> use ong>ofong> more environmentally friendly pesticides and tillage practices. However, excessive reliance on a single technology combined with a lack ong>ofong> diverse farming practices could undermine ong>theong> economic and environmental gains from ong>theong>se GE crops. Oong>theong>r challenges could hinder ong>theong> application ong>ofong> ong>theong> technology to a broader spectrum ong>ofong> crops and uses. Several reports from ong>theong> National Research Council have addressed ong>theong> effects ong>ofong> GE crops on ong>theong> environment and on human health. However, "ong>Theong> ong>Impactong> ong>ofong> Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm Sustainability in ong>theong> United States" is ong>theong> first comprehensive assessment ong>ofong> ong>theong> environmental, economic, and social ong>impactong>s ong>ofong> ong>theong> GE-crop revolution on U.S. farms. It addresses how GE crops have affected U.S. farmers, both adopters and nonadopters ong>ofong> ong>theong> technology, ong>theong>ir incomes, agronomic practices, production decisions, environmental resources, and personal well-being. ong>Theong> book ong>ofong>fers several new findings and four recommendations that could be useful to farmers, industry, science organizations, policy makers, and oong>theong>rs in government agencies.