2005 represents the tenth planting season for biotech crop varieties and provides a useful milestone for evaluating the technology’s environmental and economical impact. “GM crops: the global socio-economic and environmental impact — the first nine years 1996–2004” is therefore the first quantifiable, cumulative, global look at the benefits biotechnology has afforded the world’s farmers and environment. Below are some key findings from the study.

• The United States, which grows biotech corn, cotton, canola and soybeans, has realized the greatest economic and environmental returns from planting biotech crops. The country has increased its farm income by $10.7 billion and realized positive environmental influence from several biotech crops.
  
  • Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have reduced herbicide active ingredient use by 19 million kg, which has reduced the associated environmental footprint by 28 percent.
    
    
  • Herbicide-tolerant maize decreased the insecticide active ingredient used since 1997 by 17 million kg, and the cumulative reduction in the associated environmental footprint is 3.4 percent.
    
    
  • Herbicide-tolerant cotton has, since 1997, reduced herbicide active-ingredient use by 24.7 million kg and, as a result, reduced the environmental footprint by 23 percent.
    
    
  • Herbicide-tolerant canola has reduced the amount of active ingredient used by 20 percent, and the associated environmental footprint decreased by 32 percent.
    
    
  • Insect-resistant maize has decreased insecticide active-ingredient use by 5.8 million kg and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 4.4 percent.
    
    
  • Insect-resistant cotton has decreased insecticide active-ingredient use by 3.9 million kg and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 7.3 percent.
    
    
• Argentina follows only the United States in economic gain and also experienced significant environmental benefits. The country has increased its farm income by $10.1 billion. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have probably reduced the use of herbicides by 18.2 million kg, decreasing the associated environmental footprint by 20 percent. Insect-resistant cotton has been responsible for a decrease of 152,000 kg of active insecticide ingredient a 6.4 percent reduction of the associated environmental footprint.
  
  
• China has increased its farm income by nearly $4.2 billion from use of insect-resistant cotton. The use of insecticide active ingredient fell by 60 million kg and decreased the associated environmental footprint fell 28 percent.
  
  
• Brazil has increased its farm income by $829 million. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have reduced the use of pesticides by 3.16 million kg, and decreased the associated environmental footprint by 4.2 percent.
  
  
• Canada has increased its farm income by $807 million. While the total active ingredient used in the country increased by 38,800 kg, the associated environmental footprint decreased by 8 percent. Herbicide-tolerant maize has decreased total national herbicide active-ingredient use by slightly more than 1 million kg since 1997, and the associated environmental footprint has fallen by 3.9 percent. Herbicide-tolerant canola has reduced the volume of herbicide by 4 million kg and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 20 percent. Insect-resistant maize has decreased the use of insecticide active-ingredient use by 197,000 kg.
  
  
• India has increased its farm income by $124 million. The adoption of insect-resistant cotton has decreased the amount of insecticide active-ingredient use by 3.66 million kg and decreased the associated environmental footprint by 2 percent.
  
  
• Paraguay has increased its farm income by $80 million. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have reduced the use of herbicides by .78 million kg, and decreased the associated environmental footprint by 10 percent.
  
  
• Australia has increased its farm income by $70 million. Herbicide-tolerant cotton has resulted in increased herbicide active ingredient use by 51,000 kg, but reduced the associated environmental footprint by 3 percent. Since 1996, the planting of insect-resistant cotton has reduced the volume of insecticide by 9.2 million kg and decreased the associated environmental footprint by 21 percent.
  
  
• South Africa increased its farm income by $56 million. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have increased herbicide active-ingredient use by 17,500 kg, although the associated environmental footprint has decreased by 4 percent. Insect-resistant maize reduced use of insecticide active ingredient by 150,000 kg and reduced the associated environmental impact by 18 percent.
  
  
• Romania has experienced an increase in active ingredient use in herbicide-tolerant soybeans by about 20,000 kg, while the associated environmental footprint has decreased by 4 percent.
  
  
• Mexico farmers have realized an income increase of $41 million. No data was available to determine the reduction of environmental impact in Mexico’s production.
  

• Herbicide-tolerant soybeans have increased farm income by $9.3 billion since commercialization or $17.3 billion when including the additional income derived from Argentina’s second crop. The biotech varieties have also reduced the amount of herbicide active ingredient by 41.4 million kg, which has reduced the associated environmental footprint by 19.4 percent.
  
  
• Herbicide-tolerant maize has increased farm income by $579 million since commercialization. Cumulatively, since 1997, the volume of herbicide active ingredient applied has decreased by 18 million kg. The environmental impact has been reduced by 3.4 percent.
  
  
• Herbicide-tolerant cotton has increased farm income by $750 million since commercialization. The biotech crop has also reduced the amount of herbicide active ingredient use by 14 percent and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 22 percent.
  
  
• Herbicide-tolerant canola has increased farm income by $713 million since commercialization. The biotech crop also has reduced the amount of herbicide active ingredient used by 4.8 million kg and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 20.7 percent.
  
  
• Insect-resistant maize has increased farm income by $1.9 billion since commercialization. The biotech crop also has reduced the amount of insecticide active ingredient used by 6.3 million kg and reduced the associated environmental footprint by 4.4 percent.
  
  
• Insect-resistant cotton has increased farm income by $5.7 billion since commercialization. The biotech crop also has reduced the amount of insecticide active ingredient used by 77 million kg and decreased the associated environmental footprint by 18 percent.
  
  
• Virus-resistant papaya and squash and rootworm-resistant maize have increased farm income by $37 million since commercialization.