Advancements in Global Agriculture

ADVANCEMENTS IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE 00 1995 18% 16M 170M 28 1996 The adoption of technology combined with conventional Genetically modified (GM) corn, soybeans and cotton, In 2011, more than 16 million farmers, of which 90% were plant breeding and biotechnology has reduced pesticide which have a naturally occurring pest protectant, have resource-poor from developing countries, grew GM crops spraying by 474 million kg and decreased the been grown commercially since 1995-96. on 170 million hectares in at least 28 countries. environmental impact by 18%. UNITED STATES INDIA BRAZIL CHINA 52% USDA EPA FDA 50% ARGENTINA PARAGUAY 2011 2012 CANADA SOUTH AFRICA Developing nations planted 52% of the global Leading countries using GM crops. In the U.S., three federal agencies regulate genetically biotech crops in 2012, up from 50% a year earlier. modified crops and foods-the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 500 20 54% GROUPS YEARS Over the last 25 years, the European Union has sponsored $70 million in research conducted by 500 scientific groups, which Rigorous scientific investigation, accompanied by nearly 20 54% of sugar sold in the U.S. comes from GM sugar beets. years of safe consumption, has shown that GM crops on the concluded that biotechnology has no more risk than market pose no adverse human health effects. conventional plant breeding. DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER www.danforthcenter.org DISCOVER • ENLIGHTEN • SHARE • NOURISH