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Genetically Modified Crops May Yield Less Food, Study Says
April 24, 2008 08:10 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
A recent study found that the yield from genetically modified soya was 10 percent smaller than the yield from plants that were not genetically engineered.
30-Second Summary
Touted as part of the solution to world hunger, genetically modified (GM) crops have long battled political and philosophical opposition. Now a study suggests that they may encounter economic issues as well. For the past three years, researchers at Kansas State have compared Monsanto genetically modified soybean crops with an unaltered variety.
Barney Gordon, a professor of agronomy at Kansas State, said that the study began because farmers questioned why they got less output from genetically engineered crops. He found that GM soybeans produce less grain per acre and now thinks it is possible “that the modification hindered the crop's take-up of the essential element from the soil.”
These results were released following the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) report that developing countries implemented GM crops in record high numbers in 2007. Clive James of the ISAA said today’s poverty stems from agricultural difficulties and “this technology can make a contribution.”
However, opposition to GM crops remains strong and environmental groups such as Greenpeace continue to protest their use.
Barney Gordon, a professor of agronomy at Kansas State, said that the study began because farmers questioned why they got less output from genetically engineered crops. He found that GM soybeans produce less grain per acre and now thinks it is possible “that the modification hindered the crop's take-up of the essential element from the soil.”
These results were released following the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) report that developing countries implemented GM crops in record high numbers in 2007. Clive James of the ISAA said today’s poverty stems from agricultural difficulties and “this technology can make a contribution.”
However, opposition to GM crops remains strong and environmental groups such as Greenpeace continue to protest their use.
Headline Link: ‘Exposed: the great GM crops myth’
Professor Barney Gordon found that the Monsanto GM soybeans were only able to compete with the conventional crop when he added manganese to the soil. Without the supplement, GM soybeans produced 70 bushels of grain per acre compared with the 77 yielded by the regular soybean crop.
Source: Independent UK
Background: The debate over GM crops
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) reported that in 2007, 12 developing countries implemented GM crops to combat poverty. Supporters of GM crops say they will be cheaper and more productive for farmers in the long run, but former environmental lawyer Claire Hope Cummings says that GM crops are an “industrial commodity for industrial agriculture.” Critics worry that rather than alleviating poverty, a push for GM crops will leave poor farmers in debt to companies that own seed patents.
Source: Contra Costa Times (AP)
The debate over GM soybean crops has been going on for some time. In 2001, Monsanto lobbied the Brazilian government to legalize GM soybeans, but there were protests from consumers, who were concerned that GM crops would not be safe. At the time, the BBC reported that “the issue has divided scientists and farmers—many of whom do not feel they have enough knowledge to make correct decisions.”
Source: BBC
Opinion & Analysis: Will governments, farmers and consumers accept GM crops?
Last year, agricultural lawyers gathered at the University of Kansas to discuss the legalities of genetically engineered crops, weigh the benefits of their use and discuss alternative solutions. A recurring observation at the meeting was that “the regulatory hurdles facing GM crops and GM food are substantial, and significantly affect decisions about whether or not to pursue commercialization.”
Source: Agricultural Law Blog
Fears about the safety of consuming GM foods are common, but “with food riots in some countries focusing attention on how the world will feed itself, biotechnology proponents see their chance,” says the New York Times. Even soft-drink companies in Japan and South Korea that previously demanded regular corn for syrup can no longer afford to be selective. Previously skittish European companies are also caving to pressures of price and supply demands.
Source: The New York Times
In 2003, Under Secretary of Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services J.B. Penn wrote that biotechnology “can increase crop productivity by increasing yields and improving the nutritional content of crops in developing countries.” The piece explains the background of genetically engineered crops, and argues that even so-called conventional crops have often been modified in some way. He also asserts that not only will GM crops yield increased output, but also a decrease in pesticides.
Source: U.S. Government
Environmental groups like Greenpeace are still adamantly against the use of GM crops, even in developing countries. In New Delhi, protestors wore masks representing government officials and handed out vegetables labeled “biohazard” to bystanders. “We are here to mock the regulatory authorities and the policy makers of this country for introducing genetically engineered food without any safety testing,” said protestor Jai Krishna.
Source: Khabar Express
Related Topics: Problems with GM food
Genetically engineered crops are supposed to require less pesticides than conventional ones, but a 2004 study by the National Agriculture Statistics Service found that GM crops required more herbicide.
Source: Mother Earth News
Genetically engineered rice was approved as a way to grow certain proteins that could be used as supplements in foods and as medicine, but in 2007, GM rice leaked into the consumer market and was found in some commercial long-grain rice. The study found that only traces of the genetically engineered rice existed in the commercial rice, but plans for stricter regulations began immediately.
Source: Science Daily
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