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Biotech crop use levels-off

The latest numbers from USDA show the use of biotech crops has leveled-off a bit. The Economic Research Service (ERS) reports 88 percent of all of the corn grown in the United States this year is a genetically engineered variety, that is the same percentage as in 2011 and 2 percent more than in 2010. Biotech soybeans account for 93 percent of the beans planted in the country this year down 1 percent from last year and equal to 2010. Biotech cotton has shown a 4 percent increase from 2011 with 94 percent of the nation’s crop now biotech.

Just over half, 52 percent of the biotech corn has stacked traits, 21 percent is only herbicide-tolerant and 15 percent has only insect resistance. All of the genetically engineered soybeans planted are herbicide tolerant. 63 percent of the cotton planted this year has stacked traits, 17 percent is only herbicide tolerant and 14 percent is insect-resistant only.

The states with the highest percentage planted to genetically engineered crops: 97 percent of North Dakota’s corn is biotech, North and South Dakota have 98 percent GM soybeans and Arkansas has 99 percent biotech cotton.

Read the full report from USDA here: