Sunday, January 25, 2015

Something for the Anti-GMO Folks to Consider...

A Meta-Analysis of the Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops

 

"On average, GM technology adoption has reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased farmer profits by 68%. Yield gains and pesticide reductions are larger for insect-resistant crops than for herbicide-tolerant crops. Yield and profit gains are higher in developing countries than in developed countries."

"Despite the rapid adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops by farmers in many countries, public controversies about the risks and benefits continue [1][4]. Numerous independent science academies and regulatory bodies have reviewed the evidence about risks, concluding that commercialized GM crops are safe for human consumption and the environment [5][7]. There are also plenty of studies showing that GM crops cause benefits in terms of higher yields and cost savings in agricultural production [8][12], and welfare gains among adopting farm households [13][15]. However, some argue that the evidence about impacts is mixed and that studies showing large benefits may have problems with the data and methods used [16][18]. Uncertainty about GM crop impacts is one reason for the widespread public suspicion towards this technology. We have carried out a meta-analysis that may help to consolidate the evidence." 

 

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111629 


 

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