A study published on November 3, 2014, found here, has confirmed what many of us already knew – biotech crops are good for the environment!
According to the study:
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.
(Source: PLOS ONE.)
Using other original studies, the scientists from Germany consolidated the data and conducted meta-analysis of the agronomic and economics impacts of biotech crops. There were 147 original studies included (and cited) in the analysis. The studies were located though searches in an array of scholarly literature, including EconLit and AgEcon Search. The researchers compiled the primary data from farm surveys or field trials in those original searches, including yields, pesticide use, and profits. The researchers then took that extracted information and performed an analysis on it to reach their conclusion.
Note that the study tells us exactly the objective of the study, how they performed the analysis, how they found the materials, and which materials were used and why. Many of the problems with the anti-GMO studies (which aren’t really scientific or credible at all), stems from this problem – the person writing the study doesn’t include the what, when, how, and why. Science should be reproducible. That is, we should be able to look at a study, know exactly how it was performed, and recreate it ourselves (assuming we have the time and money to do so). Being reproducible gives the study and research credibility.
In any case, taking the aggregate original information from other studies, the researchers were able to demonstrate marked benefits in the biotech crops. Another interesting piece to the article was finding that, although the cost of the GMO seeds were higher, that cost was usually made back by the farmer in the higher yields.
So, go ahead and add that to the other 2,000+ studies showing there is nothing wrong with GMOs.
I would like to share some of these to facebook. Please, but don’t know how.
Eric, there are a couple options. You can either hit the orange “share” button on the bottom, and an option to share on Facebook should come up. You can also head over to my Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/TheFarmersDaughterUSA?ref=hl where I try to share all of my stuff!