December, 04 2008, 12:28pm EDT
Genetically Modified Crops Reach 9 Percent of Global Primary Crop Production
WASHINGTON
Genetically modified crops reached 9 percent of global primary crop
production in 2007, bringing the total GM land area up to 114.3 million
hectares, according to Worldwatch Institute estimates published in the
latest Vital Signs Update. The United States continues to be the global leader in production, accounting for half of all GM crop area.
GM production has been on the rise since the crops were first
introduced more than a decade ago, and it now includes 23 countries.
But controversy over the benefits of genetic modification continues,
including questions about the technology's ability to deliver on
promises of enhanced yields and nutrition.
"GM crops are definitely not a silver bullet," said Alice McKeown, a
researcher for the Worldwatch Institute. "They sound good on paper, but
we have yet to see glowing results."
Even as GM crop area expands, tensions are building. The European
Union is expected to offer new guidance on the crops by the end of the
year. Meanwhile, a new scientific study funded by the Austrian
government suggests that a popular variety of GM corn reduces fertility
in mice, raising questions about the technology's safety.
"There are still many unanswered questions about GM crops," said
McKeown. "But the good news is that we have solutions to food security
and other problems available today that we know work and are safe for
humans and the environment, including organic farming."
The Worldwatch Institute was a globally focused environmental research organization based in Washington, D.C., founded by Lester R. Brown. Worldwatch was named as one of the top ten sustainable development research organizations by Globescan Survey of Sustainability Experts. Brown left to found the Earth Policy Institute in 2000. The Institute was wound up in 2017, after publication of its last State of the World Report. Worldwatch.org was unreachable from mid-2019.
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